Applying efficiency concepts to management in the social services
Efficiency became established as a key concept in service management during the 1980s, yet its definition within the social services remains problematic. This article defines a ratio which equates inputs with costs, and outputs with measured quality of care as an efficiency indicator in residential care for the elderly. Such a conversion ratio (as constructed) revealed clear differences in efficiency between the local authority, voluntary and private sectors of residential care. The causes of these variations are analysed and their implications for the management of services are drawn out. The inherent difficulties in defining unambiguous efficiency measures in this area are also discussed.
Residential homes for elderly people : their costs and quality
Residential care in context methods quality of care residential dependency staffing costs of providing residential care for elderly people the costs and quality of care managing efficient and effective homes residents' views relatives and friends costing desirable amenities and practices in residential care policy implications and further dissemination.
Residential care for the elderly: A billion‐pound experiment in policy‐making
By a bureaucratic accident, the ‘board and lodging’ allowance of the supplementary benefits system has enabled central government to finance private residential and nursing home care for the elderly. The result is an unintended policy experiment which raises fundamental questions about the purposes and methods of the Welfare State.