ABSTRACT
Almost everyone who works in health and social care is, at one level or another, aware that their function is to deliver – or to support the delivery of – care to service users. However, there are a number of other types of ‘customer’ in health and social care services. For example, if you work in a home care service in the voluntary or private sector, the local social services or social work department is, in a rather different sense, also your customer. If you work in an outpatient physiotherapy department, local general practitioners (GPs) are also your customers. If you work in a payroll department, all the staff whose payslips you prepare are your customers. As a manager, you might also view the staff in your team as your customers.
