`The author presents a plethora of infomation on users as individuals, their communities, research, healthcare markets and health service myths - old and new. It's a cool academic appraisal of where the power lies and how more might be shared with the patient' - Health Service Journal `Anything that helps us to understand the complexities of healthcare provision and what issues are important to users is therefore helpful. I welcome Christine Hogg's excellent summary of the issues raised by users about healthcare services. It clearly informs readers of the debates that need to take place and of the issues that healthcare practitioners should address in order to better serve their users.... So read the book to gain a better understanding of some of the issues that users feel strongly about' - British Medical Journal Making an original contribution to debates on health policy, this accessible and engaging book critically examines the future of health care and public health policy from the perspective of users and citizens. Consumerism, partnerships with patients and user involvement are seen as key to future health care and healthy public policies. The book outlines how individuals as patients, healthy people and research subjects relate to health services and how the public, as citizens, influence health care and public policies at local, national and international levels.