Managing for Health

Citation

Currie, G. (2007), "Managing for Health", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 20 No. 6, pp. 567-568. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513550710818421

This edited book aimed at students or management practitioners rather than researchers. It draws on contributions from an impressive array of international academics and public health management practitioners. The edited text covers relevant themes for managing health.

Chapter 1 sets out the policy context. Chapter 2 examines the current constitution of public health and highlights problems of managerial capacity and capability. Chapter 3 critiques new public management and argues for an alternative conception of public health as a complex adaptive system. Chapter 4 considers the qualities and skills required by public health managers for a complex adaptive system. Chapter 5 argues for better use of information to improve health. Chapter 6 critiques evidence‐based public health, but at the same time, argues research might be more effectively translated into practice. This, as with other issues, requires enhanced managerial capability. Chapter 7 focuses upon that fashionable panacea for organisational ills, leadership in public health. The final Chapter 8 brings the themes together.

Reflecting my own approach to the teaching of managing health; for example, on masters in public health programmes, I might quibble about the themes. For example, more on strategy or human resource management or knowledge management or collaborative working (networks, team working, etc.) would be useful, particularly taking into account the institutional power and politics that characterises healthcare systems. Accompanying this, I might include more generic business and management literature around each of the themes to help readers reflect on the limits of contemporary management prescriptions to “solve” wicked issues in public health

However, as a whole, the text is worthy and useful as the basis for a management input into masters in public health, other specialist healthcare masters or final year undergraduate modules in nursing, for example. Professor Hunter does a skilled job in selecting relevant topics and structuring the edited text in a coherent manner. The text is timely given increasing emphasis upon public health and the lack of adequate student texts. Practitioners requiring a read at their desks to reflect upon life in the trenches will also find the text useful.

The main strength of the text is that theory and practice are integrated. Current texts in this area, of which there are few, are too prescriptive and fail to develop the more reflective manager necessary to implement change with sensitivity to the institutional context. The texts present an academic research project and typically give an overblown account of theoretical perspectives at the expense of analysis of frontline public health management work. This too fails to meet the needs of practitioners. In contrast, Hunter's edited text is sufficiently critical and relevant for frontline public health managers and professionals. For example, it poses broad questions about the position of the public health function in the wider healthcare system. At the same time, the edited text is accessible and likely to facilitate management development. There are an array of cases and vignettes to illustrate theories at work. The text provides boxed summaries of key points and discussion of key points at the end of each chapter. Finally, the text's claim to be international is founded on the contributions of authors beyond the UK, notably from Scandinavian countries. In terms of public health, this seems apt given Scandinavia appears to offer a better model than North America for population‐based preventative healthcare.

In sum, I recommend this edited text as a basis for management modules in final year undergraduate or specialist masters programmes in healthcare. For those who wish to follow through issues further references at the end provide a useful starting point. Management practitioners (this includes clinicians engaged in management!) may also find the text useful.