Going Private

Private health insurance is currently at its highest level in Britain since the introduction of the National Health Service. Approximately one in seven of the population has some form of health cover. It is often claimed that the growth in private health insurance is due to the "underfunding" of the NHS. This book aims to shed new light on this controversial issue and examines the reasons why people take out private health insurance when the NHS is available. Drawing on empirical evidence from a study carried out in the affluent South East of England, the authors address a number of relatively neglected questions such as when and why do subscribers make use of their subscriptions and what do they think of private health care compared to the care received from the NHS? Using interviews with those who hold private health policies and those who do not, the authors go on to examine the claim that private health insurance automatically leads to a greater "choice" of health care. The book concludes with a chapter on the resulting sociological and policy implications, particularly in the light of recent NHS reforms.
As privatization remains high on the health policy agenda, ths book makes a timely contribution to the on-going debate. Written in an accessible style, "Going Private" should appeal to health researchers and policymakers alike.