The person in health care policy development.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this article is to explore the rationale for involvement of persons in health care policy in western countries, and to examine evidence of the difference public involvement can make.


METHODS
The information is drawn from research and reports on changes in health care policy towards greater democratization of decision making.


CONCLUSIONS
Strong reasons have been put forward for wider public involvement in health care policy, and some evidence is now available that involvement is popular with stakeholders and can improve services, though it is a complex intervention needing complex strategies of evaluation.
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. janet.wallcraft@yahoo.co.uk
Janet
J
Wallcraft
D003256:Community Participation; D003657:Decision Making; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making