Richard Simmons is Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Stirling, Scotland. His research focuses on the governance and delivery of public services, especially in the application of user perspectives.Martin Powell is Professor of Health and Social Policy at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. His research interests include welfare theory, policy evaluation and health policy. Ian Greener is Reader in Social Policy at Durham University. He has written widely about health policy and organisation in the UK.

• Contents: Introduction: Managing the 'unmanageable consumer' ~ Martin Powell, Shane Doheny, Ian Greener and Nick Mills; Part one: The 'new politics' of public service consumption: New Labour and public service consumers ~ Eric Shaw; Narratives of public service delivery in the UK: comparing central and local government ~ Catherine Needham; Part two: Defining the consumer in public services: Differentiating consumers in professionalised services ~ Angus Laing, Gill Hogg and Terry Newholm; The differentiated consumer in public services: user perspectives ~ Richard Simmons; Part three: The public service consumer in context: The consumer in health services ~ Martin Powell and Ian Greener; The consumer in education ~ Catherine Farrell; The consumer in housing ~ Nick Mills; Awkward customers? Policing in a consumer age ~ John Clarke, Janet Newman and Louise Westmarland; Part four: The future: visions of the consumer: Authoritative consumers or experts by experience? User groups in health and social care ~ Marian Barnes; Differentiated consumers? A differentiated view from a service user perspective ~ Peter Beresford; The public service consumer as 'member' ~ Johnston Birchall and Richard Simmons; Conclusions ~ Richard Simmons and Martin Powell

"Drawing on cutting edge research, this book brings together an impressive list of contributors to unpack a deceptively simple idea. A must for anyone interested in the future of public services." Marilyn Taylor, Professor of Urban Governance and Regeneration, University of the West of England