The programme analyses the principles of health systems, and makes global linkages to social, political, economic, and cultural issues in individual countries and themes. Students will gain an understanding of competition and trade law and regulation and its application to public health care. This programme is of particular interest to medical and clinical practitioners, civil servants, public health practitioners, social and political scientists, lab scientists, and NGO workers.

High quality primary health care and public health systems form the cornerstone of an efficient, effective, and equitable health system. Many countries (whether low-, middle- or high-income) are seeking to shift from a secondary care led, disease-oriented and ÔreactiveÕ healthcare system to one characterised by a strong primary care sector offering ÔproactiveÕ, whole-patient care through measures such as patient education, prevention, early diagnosis, support for self-care, risk factor and chronic disease management, and systematic gate-keeping to the secondary care sector.