Policy Press
Six Towards a mixed economy of social care for older people?
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Abstract
One of the strongest policy themes of successive Conservative governments during the study period was a dislike and a suspicion of the local authority as the dominant provider of welfare services (Means and Smith, 1998b). They were perceived as expensive and unresponsive to the needs of the consumer. Welfare pluralism (Johnson, 1987) or the mixed economy of social care (Wistow et al, 1994) was seen as offering a much more fruitful way forward. Reactions to this perspective were varied with concerns expressed about both the use of the private sector as a service provider (Langan, 1990) and about the potential loss of autonomy of the voluntary sector as a result of a move towards a contract culture (Deakin, 1996; Lewis, 1993). At the same time, there was also recognition of the possibilities created by the mixed economy, as emphasised by Taylor and Hoggett (1994, p 185):
The opportunity exists to develop a diversity of provision catering for a range of different needs and preferences. Voluntary and private organisations as well as the consumers they serve should be in a position to gain a great deal from such a move. Indeed these are the kinds of policies which key thinkers on the voluntary sector were advocating back in the 1970s. (Hadley and Hatch, 1981; Wolfenden Committee, 1978)
This chapter explores the development of the mixed economy in services for older people in the four local authorities and specifically how the role of the voluntary sector changed during the study period. However, the chapter begins by commenting on the already changing role of voluntary organisations involved with older people during the 1960s.
Abstract
One of the strongest policy themes of successive Conservative governments during the study period was a dislike and a suspicion of the local authority as the dominant provider of welfare services (Means and Smith, 1998b). They were perceived as expensive and unresponsive to the needs of the consumer. Welfare pluralism (Johnson, 1987) or the mixed economy of social care (Wistow et al, 1994) was seen as offering a much more fruitful way forward. Reactions to this perspective were varied with concerns expressed about both the use of the private sector as a service provider (Langan, 1990) and about the potential loss of autonomy of the voluntary sector as a result of a move towards a contract culture (Deakin, 1996; Lewis, 1993). At the same time, there was also recognition of the possibilities created by the mixed economy, as emphasised by Taylor and Hoggett (1994, p 185):
The opportunity exists to develop a diversity of provision catering for a range of different needs and preferences. Voluntary and private organisations as well as the consumers they serve should be in a position to gain a great deal from such a move. Indeed these are the kinds of policies which key thinkers on the voluntary sector were advocating back in the 1970s. (Hadley and Hatch, 1981; Wolfenden Committee, 1978)
This chapter explores the development of the mixed economy in services for older people in the four local authorities and specifically how the role of the voluntary sector changed during the study period. However, the chapter begins by commenting on the already changing role of voluntary organisations involved with older people during the 1960s.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vi
- Advisory Group members viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Setting the scene 1
- Community care and the modernisation of welfare 13
- Targeting, rationing and charging for home care services 27
- The changing role of local authority residential care 49
- The shifting boundaries between health and social care 73
- Towards a mixed economy of social care for older people? 99
- Towards quasi-markets in community care 129
- Developing community care for the future: lessons and issues from the past 163
- References 179
- Index 193
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vi
- Advisory Group members viii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Setting the scene 1
- Community care and the modernisation of welfare 13
- Targeting, rationing and charging for home care services 27
- The changing role of local authority residential care 49
- The shifting boundaries between health and social care 73
- Towards a mixed economy of social care for older people? 99
- Towards quasi-markets in community care 129
- Developing community care for the future: lessons and issues from the past 163
- References 179
- Index 193
