[THE SOCIAL POLICY OF ST. PETERSBURG IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH CARE]

The article presents results of systematic consideration of characteristics of implementation of St. Petersburg social policy in the field of health care as an important institution of economic policy. The key direction of development of St. Petersburg are sectors oriented on human needs, including health care, which requires large-scale investments in human resources. The comprehensive analysis of publications of Russian and foreign scientists was implemented. The methodological framework is represented by systemic and situational approach. The methods of structural and functional research, of scientific abstraction, of induction and deduction, of economical statistical information gathering were applied. The results of overview of studies in the field of social policy and health care permitted to establish characteristics of social policy of St. Petersburg policy in the field of health care and to determine its prospective directions. Thus, for Russian society one of the key tasks is promotion of positive agenda of development of the individual, the society and the state, based primarily on human potential. St. Petersburg acquires image of a region of social well-being. So, the task to preserve and to enhance it is on the agenda. One of the most important functions of the state is to provide public services (goods), first of all qualitative and accessible health care.