Another dose of managerialism? Commentary on the consultative paper “patients first”

Abstract

On 1 April 1974 the NHS was reorganised. In July 1979 a Royal Commission Report recommended a simplification of the structure. In December 1979 the Secretary of State issued a consultative paper on the restructuring of the Service. This article critically examines the proposals and suggests that they will do little to change the pattern of NHS decision-making.