Patterns of Commissioning, Contracting and Care Management in Social Care Services for Older People in England

A current objective of social care policy in England is to provide more personalised care services. This has implications for the provision of community based care for frail older people. Using data from a national postal survey of local authorities in England, this paper explores whether a typology of commissioning, contracting and care management arrangements, key components in the delivery of social care, can be discerned through the analysis of a series of indicators. Over two thirds of local authorities responded and arrangements were categorised on an empirical basis, resulting in the formulation of seven categories of authority. These were found to vary in the level of activity in three domains: commissioning and contracting arrangements; employment practices; and flexibility in service provision at the level of the service user. The extent to which the typology constitutes a viable ideal type is explored, together with its relevance to the emergent policy agenda.