ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study report of a research project funded by the Department of Health in 1990. The commissioning of public service research became influenced by the public sectors drive towards the '3 E's' (Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness) from the mid 1980s. A report by the Audit commission in 1988 and the White Paper 'Caring for People' charted a policy of transferring responsibility to social services. Even in 1990 although the balance had changed over the years since 1977 most of the staff trained to care for the client group were still located in the health services. The mental health services can be evaluated against the extent to which they conform to normative beliefs and societal preferences which exist in the institutional environment. For health work to maintain its legitimacy it must not only be clinically effective but also acceptable to its recipients. The chapter provides a brief examination of the policy background to understand the key issues.
