Improving equity and efficiency in the long-term care of older people is an international concern, with governments attempting to ensure that policies and practice develop so that resources are used to best effect. This requires good quality evidence founded on sound theory. This volume honours the outstanding contribution of Bleddyn Davies to this field, bringing together perspectives of scholars and practitioners from many countries including the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Sweden and the USA. Contemporary policy dilemmas are considered, leavened by professional anecdote. A chapter from Davies himself, reflecting on the origins of the PSSRU (Personal Social Services Research Unit), concludes the volume that also features a full listing of his books and monographs, which will prove invaluable to those seeking to engage with his contribution to the field. This volume will greatly interest academics in social policy, social work, gerontology and social care as well as professionals in the field.

Contents: Introduction: Bleddyn Davies, Martin Knapp, Jos uis Fernández, David Challis and Ann Netten. Long-term care in the United Kingdom: Long-term care for older people in the United Kingdom: structure and challenges, Adelina Comas-Herrera, Raphael Wittenberg and Linda Pickard; Deficiencies in British social care services and the (efficiency) consequences of an administrative rather than a democratic politics of community care, John Baldock; Long-term care, politics and resources, Elaine Murphy; The art and science of implementation: some reflections of a practitioner, David Plank; The reason why: a view from local government, Roger Hampson. International Perspectives: Home and community-based services in the United States, Joshua Wiener; Beyond care management: the logic and promise of vertically integrated systems of care for the frail elderly, Dennis L. Kodner; The Swedish model: current trends and challenges for the future, Mats Thorslund; Opening Pandora's box: making long-term care an entitlement in Japan, Naoki lkegami; Old verities and new possibilities: shifting configuration and funding of long-term care for the aged in Australia, Elizabeth Ozanne; Developments in long-term care for frail elderly people in Hong Kong, Iris Chi. Conceptual Frameworks And Care Developments: Production relations in social care, Jos uis Fernández and Martin Knapp; The social production of welfare, Ann Netten; Geographical variations in health and welfare and their significance for equity and efficiency in resource allocation, Sarah Curtis and Andrew Bebbington; The medical/social boundary and the rival discourses of the body, Julia Twigg; Care management in long-term care of older people, David Challis; Learning about complex community-based social interventions: the practical value of theory-based approaches, Ken Judge and Linda Bauld; How and why some of it began, Bleddyn Davies; Appendix: books and monographs by Bleddyn Davies; Name Index; Subject Index.