In its 75th anniversary year, this book examines the history, evolution and future of the NHS. With contributions from leading researchers and experts across a range of fields, it provides a long-term critical review of the NHS and key themes in health policy.

This commentary on the Editorial ‘The politics and analytics of health policy’ by Professor Calum Paton focuses on two issues. First, it points to the unclear links between ideas, ideology, values, and discourse and policy, and warns that discourse is often a poor guide to enacted policy....