ABSTRACT
This paper takes as its starting point the position that policy, management and practice in the health and social services will benefit by the application of relevant research. Why, then, does the utilisation of research attract so little attention and have relatively low status within the social research community and why do potential users under-exploit research? This article presents some observations about researchers and users. These are based on experience of local utilisation gained whilst working in research and development within the health service, local authority social service and social work departments and, latterly, as an intermediary research user with a national charity. Not everyone will agree with the values and assumptions implied in this paper, but I hope it will stimulate further discussion. The paper is not about the more global issue of the researcher’s contribution to national policy debates, so ably addressed by Taylor elsewhere in this volume.
