Health policy and controlling Covid-19 in England: sociological insights

Abstract

The global Covid-19 pandemic is posing considerable challenges for governments throughout the world and has and will have a significant influence on the shape of peoples social and economic life and wellbeing in the short and longer term. This opinion paper discusses the current health policy response adopted in England to control or manage the epidemic and identifies the key sociological and political influences which have shaped these policies. Drawing on the theoretical approach set out in his recent book, which emphasises the interplay of powerful structural and economic interest groups, the author will consider the influence of the key players. Government policy has tied itself to scientific and medical evidence and protecting the NHS so the key roles of the medical profession, public health scientific community and NHS management and their respective and relative powerful influences will be discussed. The government needs the support of the public if their policies are to be successful, so how have the government addressed maintaining public trust in this ‘crisis’ and how much trust do the public have in the government and what has influenced it? The strong emphasis on social distancing and social isolation in the national government policy response to Covid-19 has placed an increasing public reliance on the traditional and social media for sources of information so how the media has framed the policy will be considered. One policy aim is for an effective vaccine and the influence of the drug industry in its development is discussed. Finally, the role of the state will be discussed and what has shaped its social and economic policies.

Decision-making in the midst of uncertainty: appraising expensive medicines in England

“…Trust in health systems may also influence the efficiency of medicines appraisal and pharmaceutical policy 43 . The uncertainties associated with the recent demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have added even more pressure on to health systems 44 and the rational use of medicines has been jeopardized such as in the rhetoric about the benefits of certain drugs exemplified by the case of hydroxychloroquine 45 . It is a new scenario that can impact on decision-making in public policies and must be assessed in the future.…”