Prof Martin Knapp COW 4.03

This course is available on the BSc in Social Policy, BSc in Social Policy and Criminology, BSc in Social Policy and Economics, BSc in Social Policy and Sociology and BSc in Social Policy with Government. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.

The course covers the foundations of health and social care policy, including a number of key policy issues in the UK, the USA and elsewhere. In the first term, students will be introduced to the main dimensions of and challenges facing health and social care systems today. These include the concepts of need and demand for health and social care; mortality and morbidity trends; financing and payment of providers; health and behaviour; models of reform in the delivery of health and social care; and the US and UK health and social care systems .

In the second term, the course will look at a number of specific areas, including mental health policy; choice and personalisation; child protection; pharmaceuticals policy; prevention and public health; health inequalities; performance assessment; evaluation; and health technology assessment.

10 hours of lectures and 9 hours of classes in the MT. 10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the LT. 2 hours of classes in the ST.

One essay of 1000 words (excluding references) and a one hour mock exam.

There is no course textbook. A list of selected texts and readings will be included in the reading list which will be provided at the start of the term.

E. Mossialos, A. Dixon, J. Figueras and J. Kutzin (2002) Funding health care: options for Europe. Buckingham, Open University Press.

WHO (2010). The World Health Report 2010 - Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage. Geneva, WHO.

Gregory S, Dixon A, Ham C (2012) Health policy under the coalition government: a mid-term assessment. London: King’s Fund.

Johnson J and De Souza, C (2008) Understanding Health and Social Care. An Introductory Reader. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

Wanless D, Forder J, Fernandez JL et al (2006) Securing Good Care for Older People, King’s Fund, London.

Commonwealth Fund (2014) Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, 2014 Update: How the U.S. Health Care System Compares Internationally. Washington DC: Commonwealth Fund.

Knapp M, McDaid D, Mossialos E, Thornicroft G, editors (2007) Mental Health Policy and Practice Across Europe. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Marmot M et al (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives (The Marmot Review), London: UCL.

Exam (100%, duration: 3 hours) in the main exam period.