Responding to the alarm caused by recent hospital scandals and accounts of unintended harm to patients, this author draws on her experience of analyzing the health care systems of over a dozen countries and examines whether greater regulation has increased patient safety and health care quality. It will be of key interest to government actors, health care professionals and medico-legal scholars.

Contents: Preface: why this book?; Introduction: why regulate?; How safe is health care?; Regulatory actors: who governs health care?; Regulating the health professions; Safety cultures and safety systems; Regulating staff: internal management; Regulating organizations: external reviews; Regulation by enforcement: laws, money and monitoring; Regulation by patients; Responsive regulation: trust and transparency; Index.

'Judith Healy draws on a wealth of international experience in her quest for safe and effective health systems. Her insightful and detailed analysis provides a solid basis for her advocacy of responsive regulation, a model that recognises that most health professionals do things right but sometimes need a little help.' Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK & European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies 'This book is a most valuable addition to the Australian safety and quality in health care literature. Starting with a punchy, balanced yet somewhat unsettling preface, Judith Healy explores her thesis that "improving health care involves multiple regulators and multiple strategies, in other words networked governance" through the ten chapters of this substantial book.' Chris Baggoley, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care ’... a useful read and resource for healthcare managers and professionals and government actors.’ International Journal of Health Planning and Management