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<div>CONDITION CRITICAL: <b><span>HEALTH CARE, MARKETISING, </span></b><b><span>REFORMS AND THE MEDIA </span></b></div>
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<p><span> </span><span>A conference called by the International Association of Health Policy in Europe (IAHPE) with the support of Coventry University's School of Art and Design and Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. </span></p>
<p><span> </span><b><span>Wednesday - Saturday June 17-20, 2009 </span></b></p>
<p><b><span>Coventry University, UK </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span><span>Also supported by the People's Health Movement, the International Journal of Health Services, the Politics of Health Group, the NHS Consultants Association, and Keep Our NHS Public </span></p>
<p><span> </span><span>Invited speakers include </span></p>
<p><span>Professor David Hunter, University of Durham </span></p>
<p><span>Professor Allyson Pollock, Centre for International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh </span></p>
<p><span>Dr Julian Tudor Hart (author of The political economy of health care) </span></p>
<p><span>Professor Hans Ulrich Deppe, Frankfurt </span></p>
<p><span>Professor Alexis Benos, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki </span></p>
<p><span>(IAHPE President) </span></p>
<p><span>Dr John Lister, Coventry University </span></p>
<p><span>Physicians for a National Health Program (USA)</span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>Conference Invitation and Call for Papers </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span><span>It's our pleasure to invite you to submit a paper and attend the XVth conference of the International Association of Health Policy in Europe (IAHPE), to be held in Coventry University, June </span></p>
<p><span>17-20 2009. </span></p>
<p><span>We welcome abstracts for research papers case studies and posters relating the current situation and policy reforms in the health care sector, and the way these are reported in the print and broadcast media. The conference will address six main themes. </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>THE IMPACT OF THE CREDIT CRUNCH </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>PRIMARY CARE </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>PUBLIC HEALTH </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>MEDIA COVERAGE OF HEALTH AND HEALTH POLICY, AND THE PUBLIC RIGHT TO KNOW </span></p>
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><span>·<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span>ELDERLY CARE & MENTAL HEALTH: MARKETS v EQUITY </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>Conference context </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>The last twelve months has seen an escalating crisis of capitalism, with major banks and corporations reduced to seeking colossal subsidies from governments to secure their survival: and even the most unlikely governments are resorting to nationalisation to prop up banks and businesses. </span></p>
<p><span>With the "market system" having effectively collapsed in many sectors, who now can really argue that markets provide a rational or equitable framework to deliver and allocate health care? </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>The economic crisis and the "credit crunch" are already triggering a squeeze on public sector spending: but the policies being rolled out in health care systems in Europe and around the world are not economy measures to cut costs, but much more expensive, wasteful and bureaucratic than the systems they replace. </span></p>
<p><span>Throughout Europe, governments are pressing ahead with so-called "reforms" which threaten to undo decades of progress towards universal health care, and return health services to the status of commodities in a competitive market place. </span></p>
<p><span>A new, parasitic, private sector which could not survive, let alone flourish on the basis of genuine competition and market forces, is taking shape and growing – as a result of huge government patronage and public funding. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>The new health care "market" which is increasingly replacing any form of planning is not centred on equity or universal access to care: its bottom line is grabbing a larger share of the public sector and social insurance budgets, to deliver larger profits to shareholders. can this type of system benefit patients, or develop a service that can attract and retain the dedicated workforce that is needed to meet health needs in the 21st century? </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>And as governments push through policies and develop new health care systems which are more expensive, less efficient and far less popular then the previous systems, they seek to do so covertly, without explaining their proposals or their long-term plans to the electorate. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>How effectively are the print and broadcast media revealing and explaining these policies? How far are newspaper, radio and TV bosses willing to resource serious news coverage or open debate, and how far do they share the hidden agenda of privatisation and marketisation of health care? </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>This conference aims to bring together academics and students, campaigners, health professionals and journalists from across Europe to discuss the state our health services are in, the trajectory of present policies, the implicit threat of privatisation which hangs over our health services – and the extent to which these issues are known and understood by journalists and their audience. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>CALL FOR PAPERS </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>We invite academics, students, journalists, campaigners and health workers to submit abstracts for papers or posters on topics related to any of the six main themes. Abstracts should be not more than 200 words, identifying which theme the paper will address, and accompanied by a brief note on the author(s), and their academic or professional affiliation. </span></p>
<p><span>Abstracts should be submitted for peer-review online by midnight on Monday March 2 at <a href="http://www.healthp.org/" target="_blank">www.healthp.org</a></span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>Authors will be notified by the Conference Review Committee whether or not their proposals have been accepted for presentation at the conference, or as a poster, by Friday April 3. </span></p>
<p><span>Acceptance of papers is contingent upon the author registering for the conference, and presenting their work in person at the conference in Coventry. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>Completed papers received by June 5 will be printed in the collected conference papers. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>How to register and submit an abstract </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>PLEASE REGISTER and SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT</span></b><span> for the conference via the IAHPE website <a href="http://www.healthp.org/abstracts" target="_blank">www.healthp.org/abstracts</a></span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>During the submission process, in the "Authors & affiliation" section do not forget to include your e-mail address so we can contact you. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>REGISTRATION: what's included </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span><span>Registration fee includes conference admission and conference pack, a welcome reception, lunches on Thursday and Friday, with refreshments morning and afternoon, and a Friday night conference dinner. Hotel accommodation is NOT included, but delegates may claim a special discounted rate at the nearby Ramada hotel (see back page). </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><b><span>CONFERENCE FEES: </span></b></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>* People from EU countries, the US and Canada: £120 (register before April 1), £150 (late registration) </span></p>
<p><span>* People from other countries: £60 (register before April 1), £75 (late registration) </span></p>
<p><span>* Postgraduate students: £50 </span></p>
<p><span>* All Coventry University students, and all undergraduate students: £20. </span></p>
<p><span>Pay registration online at <a href="http://www.healthp.org/" target="_blank">www.healthp.org</a>, or by cheque (payable to Public Service Insight) posted to: </span></p>
<p><span>John Lister, c/o Media & Communication, Coventry University, </span></p>
<p><span>Priory St, Coventry CV1 5FB. </span></p>
<p><span>Don't forget to enclose full contact details if you pay by cheque. </span></p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>Full details and updates on <a href="http://www.healthp.org/" target="_blank">www.healthp.org</a></span></p>
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