Consumer‐centred approaches in the public/voluntary/personal services

Public and voluntary sector organizations in the field of personal services have been undergoing substantial change in the last decade. The decline of the more traditional administrative model with a reactive stance, has meant the development of more proactive organizations more likely to embrace consumer involvement and influence. The author uses the East Sussex Social Services Department and the Spastics Society, as examples of the process. The relationships between stakeholders and their influence on ‘custom and practice’ are essentially different. The statutory agency primarily reflects clients, elected representatives and staff The voluntary agency reflects parents, users, statutory agencies, private enterprise, staff and volunteers. Each in their own . environment has been modestly successful in achieving more ‘consumer friendly’ independent approaches to services.