Drawing on the knowledge and experiences of world-renowned scientists and healthcare professionals, this important book brings together academic, medical and health systems accounts of the impact of applying qualitative research methods to transform healthcare behaviours, systems and services. It demonstrates the translation of tried-and-tested and new interventions into high-quality care delivery, improved patient pathways, and enhanced systems management. It melds social theory, health systems analysis and research methods to address real-life healthcare issues in a rich and realistic fashion.

The systems and services examined include those affecting patient care and patient and professional wellbeing, and the roles and responsibilities of people providing and receiving care. Some chapters delve deeply into the human psyche, examining the very private face of health and illness. Others concentrate on public health and how people’s needs can be met through health promotion and new investments. From real-time case studies to narratives on illness to theories of change, there is something here for everybody. Transforming health systems needs ingenuity – and the drive of individuals, the staying power of systems and above all the involvement of patients.

Full of novel ideas and innovative solutions from around the world, all underpinned by qualitative methods and methodologies, this book is a key contribution for advanced students, practitioners and academics interested in health services research, research methods and the sociology of health and illness.