(De)politicising hospital closures in Scottish health policy 2000-2010

This chapter illustrates the change which occurred when traditions of managing health in Scotland at some remove from public opinion, interacted with the introduction of a new cadre of political leaders, with greater capacity and incentive to scrutinise health decision-making. It demonstrates how ‘new’ political leaders learned how to ‘do politics’ in a ‘new’ political system, drawing on resources of expertise and trust in existing and emerging structures. Hospital closures are difficult political ground across the UK. High profile and often successful campaigns frequently arise in opposition to proposed closures. Within contemporary political science, it has been argued that depoliticisation is a long-standing strategy of government rendered increasingly relevant in the age of the ‘hollowed out state’. The depoliticisation literature is grounded in studies of economic policy but has the potential to open up new perspectives on health policy.