In this book, Peter West examines the genesis of the reforms in the NHS, which introduced the internal market in health care, and the incentives created for the three major stakeholders, purchasing health authorities, NHS trusts and GP fundholders.

Drawing on published research and the author's own experiences working for health authorities and trusts over the last five years, the book examines in detail the freedoms and powers created by Working for Patients and the types of behaviour likely to be stimulated by the introduction of market-style incentives.

After an assessment of the position of each of the three stakeholders, the final chapter reviews the current working and future prospects for the internal market and the potential changes to it that will be introduced by developments in health care purchasing and provision.

The book will be of interest to a wide range of students of health policy and health services management, as well as clinical and other staff in health service purchaser and provider roles. It is written for a non-specialist audience and while assuming some general familiarity with health services in the UK, it assumes no prior knowledge of health economics.