Speaking for Patients and Carers

'The book is easy to read and well worth the time for any healthcare professional or policymaker, and indeed even politicians interested in health. The book is well outlinedand proceeds in a straightforward and logical manner, with an excellent summary of each chapter...' - Daniel Longo, Health Expections 'An important book, written in a clear and accessible way by academics who have been working in this area for some time, it should be of interest to policy makers and academic health policy analysts as it provides the first detailed picture of the working of health groups in the UK and their influence on health policy.' - Michael Calnan, Social Policy

Speaking for Patients and Carers draws on original research and is based on a theoretical framework taken from sociology and politics. It examines health consumer groups in the context of specific conditions: Arthritis and related conditions, cancer, heart and circulatory disease, maternity and childbirth, and mental health.Speaking for Patients and Carers draws on original research and is based on a theoretical framework taken from sociology and politics. It examines health consumer groups in the context of specific conditions: Arthritis and related conditions, cancer, heart and circulatory disease, maternity and childbirth, and mental health. It also analyzes their interaction with government, health professionals and the media, and assesses their impact on policy.