CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE CASES - LOCAL-GOVERNMENT AND THE NHS

The role of local government in health care matters in Britain has nev er been trouble-fee. From the dissolution of the Boards of Guardians i n 1929, through to the creation of the NHS in the 1940s and the introd uction of the internal market in the 1990s, there have been political and professional arguments surrounding the issue and, for the most par t, the case for democratic local governance of health care has failed to carry the day. This paper looks back to earlier debates, examines t he current policy context, and looks ahead to possible future scenario s. It argues that the changing circumstances of both the NHS and local government makes this an apposite time to rethink established structu res.