John Lister

John Lister is a Senior Lecturer (associate professor) in Journalism, and Health Journalism at the Coventry University Department of Media and Communication. Lister is the author of two books on international health reform: Health Policy Reform: Driving the Wrong Way? and Global Health vs. Private Profit. He writes about Private Finance Initiative in the NHS. Dr. Lister has worked in print journalism since 1974, and has also been involved in public relations and investigative research on health policy in the UK and worldwide. He is the executive director and founder of London Health Emergency, a pro-NHS public interest group, and has focused on investigative health journalism since 1984 conducting research and consulting for local authorities and campaign groups across England and internationally and for trade unions at the local and regional level. He edited the 1988 book Cutting the Lifeline: The Fight For the NHS, and is one of the founders of the national campaign "Save Our NHS". Health journalism In addition to producing branch and regional tabloid newspapers for affiliated union bodies, Lister’s research through London Health Emergency has covered a range of subjects, from planned local hospital cutbacks and closures and the financial standing of health care providers in England and Wales, through studies on hospital cleaning, privatization of services, the controversial Private Finance Initiative, care of older people, mental health – and various government proposals for market-style reforms, from Margaret Thatcher’s 1989 "review" and subsequent White Paper, through Tony Blair’s government, and now the current far-reaching plans of the Conservative-led coalition. He has conducted national-level and regional commissioned projects with the largest health union UNISON, and for the BMA.