ROB BAGGOTT is Professor of Public Policy and director of the Health Policy Research Unit at De Montfort University, UK.JUDITH ALLSOP is Professor of Health Policy at De Montfort University, UK.KATHRYN JONES is a Research Fellow in the Department of Public Policy at De Montfort University, UK.

• IntroductionHealth Care Politics and the Policy Process: Concepts, Theories and ModelsThe Policy ContextThe Condition AreasHealth Consumer Groups: Formation and CharacteristicsHealth Consumer Groups: Social and Political ResourcesNetworks, Informal and Formal AlliancesCollaboration with Health ProfessionalsThe Pharmaceutical IndustryWorking with GovernmentWorking with ParliamentWorking with the MediaConclusion: Speaking for Patients and CarersAppendix 1: MethodologyAppendix 2: List of Interview GroupsEnd Notes.

'The book is easy to read and well worth the time for any healthcare professional or policymaker, and indeed even politicians interested in health. The book is well outlinedand proceeds in a straightforward and logical manner, with an excellent summary of each chapter...' - Daniel Longo, Health Expections 'An important book, written in a clear and accessible way by academics who have been working in this area for some time, it should be of interest to policy makers and academic health policy analysts as it provides the first detailed picture of the working of health groups in the UK and their influence on health policy.' - Michael Calnan, Social Policy

ROB BAGGOTT is Professor of Public Policy and director of the Health Policy Research Unit at De Montfort University, UK.JUDITH ALLSOP is Professor of Health Policy at De Montfort University, UK.KATHRYN JONES is a Research Fellow in the Department of Public Policy at De Montfort University, UK.

• IntroductionHealth Care Politics and the Policy Process: Concepts, Theories and ModelsThe Policy ContextThe Condition AreasHealth Consumer Groups: Formation and CharacteristicsHealth Consumer Groups: Social and Political ResourcesNetworks, Informal and Formal AlliancesCollaboration with Health ProfessionalsThe Pharmaceutical IndustryWorking with GovernmentWorking with ParliamentWorking with the MediaConclusion: Speaking for Patients and CarersAppendix 1: MethodologyAppendix 2: List of Interview GroupsEnd Notes.

'The book is easy to read and well worth the time for any healthcare professional or policymaker, and indeed even politicians interested in health. The book is well outlinedand proceeds in a straightforward and logical manner, with an excellent summary of each chapter...' - Daniel Longo, Health Expections 'An important book, written in a clear and accessible way by academics who have been working in this area for some time, it should be of interest to policy makers and academic health policy analysts as it provides the first detailed picture of the working of health groups in the UK and their influence on health policy.' - Michael Calnan, Social Policy

ROB BAGGOTT is Professor of Public Policy and director of the Health Policy Research Unit at De Montfort University, UK.JUDITH ALLSOP is Professor of Health Policy at De Montfort University, UK.KATHRYN JONES is a Research Fellow in the Department of Public Policy at De Montfort University, UK.

• IntroductionHealth Care Politics and the Policy Process: Concepts, Theories and ModelsThe Policy ContextThe Condition AreasHealth Consumer Groups: Formation and CharacteristicsHealth Consumer Groups: Social and Political ResourcesNetworks, Informal and Formal AlliancesCollaboration with Health ProfessionalsThe Pharmaceutical IndustryWorking with GovernmentWorking with ParliamentWorking with the MediaConclusion: Speaking for Patients and CarersAppendix 1: MethodologyAppendix 2: List of Interview GroupsEnd Notes.

'The book is easy to read and well worth the time for any healthcare professional or policymaker, and indeed even politicians interested in health. The book is well outlinedand proceeds in a straightforward and logical manner, with an excellent summary of each chapter...' - Daniel Longo, Health Expections 'An important book, written in a clear and accessible way by academics who have been working in this area for some time, it should be of interest to policy makers and academic health policy analysts as it provides the first detailed picture of the working of health groups in the UK and their influence on health policy.' - Michael Calnan, Social Policy