Commissioning And Purchasing Social Care (social Work Skills Series, 2)

COMMISSIONING AND PURCHASING The mixed economy of welfare is a reality in social care. The rise of the independent sector has been mirrored by a shift in emphasis in the role of government. Commissioning services has become a dominant role for the public services yet it is an area which has received little attention. This book, written by a senior manager, looks at the skills needed to translate the concept of commissioning into cost-effective and high quality services. After explaining how the social care world changed dramatically in the 1990s, Terry Bamford explains the difference between commissioning and purchasing. Using a wealth of case studies and activities, he shows how to involve service users in the process, how to write contracts, and how to get value for money. Commissioning and Purchasing is a practical handbook. It will be invaluable to those undertaking commissioning tasks from the frontline worker to the senior manager or to the social care student in training. No one will read this book without having a better idea of how to get the best possible service at the most reasonable cost, nor will they have any illusions about the complexity of the task. Terry Bamford spent fifteen years heading social services, most recently as Executive Director of Housing and Social Services in Kensington and Chelsea. A former Chair of the British Association of Social Workers, he has written extensively on social care issues. the social work skills series published in association with Community Care series editor: Terry Philpot the social work skills series • builds practice skills step by step • places practice in its policy context • relates practice to relevant research • provides a secure base for professional development This new, skills-based series has been developed by Routledge and Community Care working together in partnership to meet the changing needs of today’s students and practitioners in the broad field of social care. Written by experienced practitioners and teachers with a commitment to passing on their knowledge to the next generation, each text in the series features: learning objectives; case examples; activities to test knowledge and understanding; summaries of key learning points; key references; suggestions for further reading. Also available in the series: Tackling Social Exclusion John Pierson Institute of Social Work and Applied Social Studies, Staffordshire University Managing Aggression Ray Braithwaite Consultant and trainer in managing aggression at work. Lead trainer and speaker in the national ‘No Fear’ campaign. COMMISSIONING AND PURCHASING Terry Bamford London and New York First published 2001 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-