Increasing choice and control for older and disabled people: A critical review of new developments in England

TY - JOUR

T1 - Increasing choice and control for older and disabled people: A critical review of new developments in England

AU - Glendinning, C

PY - 2008/10

Y1 - 2008/10

N2 - This paper critically examines new policies currently being implemented in England aimed at increasing the choice and control that disabled and older people can exercise over the social care support and services they receive. The development of these policies, and their elaboration in three policy documents published during 2005, are summarized. The paper then discusses two issues underpinning these proposals: the role of quasi-markets within publicly funded social care services; and the political and policy discourses of consumerism and choice within the welfare state. Despite powerful critiques of welfare consumerism, the paper argues that there are nevertheless very important reasons for taking choice seriously when considering how best to organize and deliver support and other services for disabled and older people. A policy discourse on consumerism, however, combined with the use of market mechanisms for implementing this, may be highly problematic as the means of creating opportunities for increased choice and, on its own, risks introducing new forms of disadvantage and social exclusion.

AB - This paper critically examines new policies currently being implemented in England aimed at increasing the choice and control that disabled and older people can exercise over the social care support and services they receive. The development of these policies, and their elaboration in three policy documents published during 2005, are summarized. The paper then discusses two issues underpinning these proposals: the role of quasi-markets within publicly funded social care services; and the political and policy discourses of consumerism and choice within the welfare state. Despite powerful critiques of welfare consumerism, the paper argues that there are nevertheless very important reasons for taking choice seriously when considering how best to organize and deliver support and other services for disabled and older people. A policy discourse on consumerism, however, combined with the use of market mechanisms for implementing this, may be highly problematic as the means of creating opportunities for increased choice and, on its own, risks introducing new forms of disadvantage and social exclusion.

KW - welfare consumerism

KW - welfare markets

KW - choice and control

KW - SOCIAL CARE

KW - OUTCOMES

KW - HEALTH

KW - NEEDS

KW - AGE

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=51349093936&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9515.2008.00617.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9515.2008.00617.x

M3 - Article

SN - 1467-9515

VL - 42

SP - 451

EP - 469

JO - Social Policy & Administration

JF - Social Policy & Administration

IS - 5

ER -