The objective of this study is to make a critical reflexion about the political and structural changes introduced during the course of 20 years of Unified Health System - SUS which have contributed to the democratization of health management and offered the basis for legitimating the inclusion of new political actors throughout the construction process of a new model of health care. We discuss programs, policies and strategies implemented in recent years that have made possible the emergence and strengthening of social control, participatory management and professional development as part of the SUS. Social participation at the management of health system is of fundamental importance, of the customers as of its workers, and must be enhanced in the changes towards a system that wants to be inclusive, friendly, integral, with good resolution of problems and specially democratic.
Public Policies; Participative Management; Social Control; Professional Development