Challenging centre-periphery relations in health policy

[About the book] This book is about public policy and how policy decisions shape the lives of citizens. "Policy" refers to one aspect of politics - not elections, nor party politics inside or outside parliament, nor dissent, but the making and delivery of laws, rules and guidelines. It is a distinctive feature of modern politics that governments are expected to make policies and implement them effectively, and that plans for policy provide the electorate with a means of distinguishing different parties at elections. Public policy is that part of politics concerned with government decisions, and their administration and implementation. Note an ambiguity straight away - "policy" can refer to what parties or governments plan to do, as well as to what governments actually do when in office