THE POLITICS OF COMMUNITY CARE - SOCIAL RIGHTS AND WELFARE LIMITS

Community care policy forms part of the political and ideological prob lem of matching the dimensions of the welfare state to the resources a vailable. In trying to implement a policy which increases citizenship rights and expectations yet further, health and local authorities are likely to deal with the consequent rationing problem by seeking both t o control the demand upon their services and to protect their supply. This will mitigate against the cooperative intent at the heart of the policy and produce local tensions and conflicts.