Unsettling Healthcare is an initiative for social and political science enquiry on new trends in global healthcare. Partners include researchers, health activists and policy-makers interested in promoting equity and inclusion in healthcare systems. Based at King’s College London and University of Sussex, we aim to critically examine the changing profile of healthcare financing, provision and consumption.
Projects
Health and healthcare have historically been major targets for development aid spending by wealthy countries. Over the past 20 years this scenario has evolved as new donors have emerged and older donors have pursued ‘beyond aid’ agendas. We consider the scale of the changes taking place and the forms of healthcare being financed.
A recent phase of healthcare expansion, something intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, is driving the emergence and evolution of a range of new local and global markets. From the growth of insurance and digital platform industries, to the “medicities” or “health cities” being constructed in various settings, we study these changes and the implications for how healthcare systems are organised.
Transnational Engagements in China, India and the UK
Healthcare is increasingly seen as an area that can deliver significant financial returns, particularly through international trade in health-related services. As a result some governments are actively promoting healthcare as a strategy for national economic development. In this project, we examine attempts by public and private institutions to build connections across borders and position countries within global markets.
Corporatisation and Regulation in India’s Private Healthcare Sector
The growth of healthcare industries poses a challenge to established ways of working within healthcare systems. Provision and regulation in the sector are being reshaped by business and management practices, necessitating better understanding of these processes and their implications for access and accountability. This project studied these changes in the context of India’s private healthcare sector.
Regulation in Turkey’s Pluralist Healthcare System
Many governments have been seeking private sector solutions in response to meeting the needs (and costs) of achieving universal healthcare coverage. This project examined these issues in Turkey, where private sector engagement has grown dramatically since the launch of the Health Transformation Program in 2003.
Voucher and cash transfers are expected to promote health by offsetting some associated financial costs or by increasing household income or providing financial incentives to increase healthy behaviours. We examined the design and effects of these policy initiatives to determine their role in creating and promoting healthcare markets, and the implications for equity.
Blog posts
Unsettling Healthcare 