The Sociology of Medical Regulation : An Introduction

This book provides a comprehensive examination of the complex issues surrounding the regulation of the medical profession. It offers up-to-date information on the current legislative framework and institutional arrangements surrounding the regulation in the United Kingdom. Well organized and written in an accessible way, it offers an insight into key sociological theories surrounding medical regulation. It gives a historically situated analysis of the contemporary relationship between medicine, the state and the public, and an overview of relevant social scientific research. Case studies highlight the practical or applied circumstances in which issues can occur. Readers will gain insight into possible future directions for medical governance. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: Medical Governance in the Risky Age of the Surveillance Society....Pages 1-20 Biomedicine, Medicalisation and Risk....Pages 21-44 Doctors, Patients, Managers and the State....Pages 45-68 Sociological Deconstructions I: Critiquing Medical Autonomy and Altruism....Pages 69-92 Sociological Deconstructions II: Governmentality and Restratification....Pages 93-119 Restratification and Revalidation: United Kingdom and International Perspectives....Pages 121-143 Restratification and the Hearing of Fitness to Practice Cases....Pages 145-171 Epilogue: Sociology, Medical Governance and Citizenship....Pages 173-184