Financing Health and Social Care

Without doubt, the most important update and reminder of economic reasoning and evidence as to why our publicly-funded health care systems need protection and expansion, even into areas such as social care. Professor Donaldson’s work over four decades has had a tremendous impact on decision makers, economic advisors, fellow researchers and learners and I anticipate this book will be no exception. —Craig Mitton, Professor,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia “Leading world expert, and I don’t say that lightly. Everyone should read the chapter on economics of pandemics.” —Bruce Hollingsworth, Professor of Health Economics, Lancaster University Why do most capitalist economies have socialist health care systems? How can we preserve them? What would Aneurin Bevan think? These are the three main questions addressed by this book. In the 1950s, through In Place of Fear, Bevan made a strong case for a National Health Service which he had been instrumental in establishing in the UK in 1948. But he did not articulate the accompanying economic case. That case is presented here in an accessible way and extended to social care. A comprehensive understanding of ‘tried and tested’ means of financing health care is then presented, alongside assessments of repeated and new approaches proposed in policy circles as quick fixes to funding shortfalls. This is tackled across four themes: the role of the private sector in health and social care provision; frameworks for making choices in the face of resource scarcity; workforce planning and remuneration; and preparation for future pandemics. The emerging proposals carry a cost to the public purse. But, this needs to weighed against the costs and unfairness of further disintegration. With a special focus on the UK and the NHS, at a critical time for policy change, this book argues that clinical leadership and politicians need to pay more attention to the economic issues underlying health and social care. For those policymakers, seeking a blueprint for health and social care, this book is essential reading as they shape In Place of Fear 2.0. Cam Donaldson FRSE is Emeritus Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), where he was Yunus Chair until 2024; having founded GCU’s Yunus Centre for Social Business & Health in 2010 and served as Pro Vice Chancellor Research there (2016-21). He is also Professor of Health Economics at Australian National University. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and eight books over the course of his career, and received over £30m in competitive research funding from bodies including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the UK’s National Institute for Health Research and several UK Research Councils.