The direction of health policy in New Labour’s third term

Abstract

The New Labour government would have appeared to have demonstrated a strong commitment to the state health care sector since coming to power in 1997. It has more than doubled spending on the National Health Service, and this investment is projected to rise over the next four years. However, whether this ‘modernization strategy’ will be able to deliver a more equitable health care service in New Labour’s third term in office is open to question. In addition, the expanding role of the private health care sector in a revived ‘internal market’ in health care raises serious concerns about the future direction of state health care provision.