Mutuality in the provision of Scottish healthcare. Issue 4 (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Howieson, Brian
• Is Part Of: Scottish medical journal. Volume 60:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 228
• Page End: 232
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: Mutuality -- Scottish healthcare -- healthcare policy; Medicine -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1177/0036933015613670
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0036-9330

Abstract

The backdrop to this article is provided by the Better Health, Better Care Action Plan (Scottish Government, 2007), Section 1 of which is entitled 'Towards a Mutual NHS'. According to Better Health, Better Care (Scottish Government, 2007: 5): ' Mutual organisations are designed to serve their members. They are designed to gather people around a common sense of purpose. They are designed to bring the organisation together in what people often call " co-production. "' The aim of this article is to précis the current knowledge of mutuality in the provision of Scottish healthcare. In detail, it will: introduce the 'mutual' organisation; offer a historical perspective of mutuality; suggest why healthcare mutuality is important; and briefly, detail the differences in mutual health-care policy in England and Scotland. It is hoped that this analysis will help researchers and practitioners alike appreciate further the philosophy of mutuality in the provision of Scottish healthcare.