Policy Press

Martin Powell

Martin Powell is a Professor of Health and Social Policy at the University of Birmingham. Martin’s main research interest is in the British welfare state, especially the NHS. He has written or edited some 19 books, including some being translated into Chinese, Korean, and Polish. He has written over 80 peer reviewed articles, and he is a former editor of the journal ‘Social Policy and Administration’.
Showing 1-12 of 16 items.

New Labour, new welfare state?

The 'third way' in British social policy

Edited by Martin Powell

This classic text provides the first comprehensive examination of the social policy of New Labour. It compares and contrasts current policy areas with both the Old Left and the New Right and applies the concept of the 'third way' to both individual policy areas and broader cross-cutting themes.

Policy Press

Partnerships, New Labour and the governance of welfare

Current policy encourages 'partnerships' between statutory organisations and professionals; public and private sectors; with voluntary organisations and local communities. But is this collaborative discourse as distinctive as the government claims? These claims are critically examined, using evidence from a wide range of welfare partnerships.

Policy Press

Evaluating New Labour's welfare reforms

Edited by Martin Powell

Evaluating New Labour's welfare reforms builds on the analysis of bestselling 'New Labour, New Welfare State?' (The Policy Press, 1999) to examine the Government's welfare policies to the end of its first term. It moves beyond a descriptive account to provide an evaluative perspective on New Labour's welfare reforms.

Policy Press

Social Policy Review 15

UK and international perspectives

Social Policy Review 15 continues the tradition of providing a different style and approach to policy issues from that found in most academic journals and books. This volume combines issues such as globalization, Europe and pensions with examination of the current and historical contexts of social policy.

Policy Press

Social Policy Review 16

Analysis and debate in social policy, 2004

Social Policy Review 16 is an excellent source of information and opinion about core aspects of contemporary social policy for students and academics alike. It will also appeal to all those with an interest in ‘welfare’ in the widest sense of the term.

Policy Press

Social Policy Review 17

Analysis and debate in social policy, 2005

Contributions reflect key developments in the UK and internationally. and focus on developments and change in core UK social policy areas. Additional chapters provide in-depth analyses of topical issues in UK and international perspective, while this year's themed section is 'New Labour'.

Policy Press

Understanding the mixed economy of welfare

Edited by Martin Powell

Although state provision may have dominated in Britain since 1945, there is a growing movement towards welfare pluralism - a mixed economy of welfare - involving private, voluntary and informal sectors. This book, written by social policy and welfare experts, sheds light on this neglected area of social policy.

Policy Press

Modernising the welfare state

The Blair legacy

Edited by Martin Powell

This book, the third in Martin Powell's New Labour trilogy, analyses the legacy of Tony Blair's government for social policy, focusing on the extent to which it has changed the UK welfare state.

Policy Press

The consumer in public services

Choice, values and difference

"The consumer in public services" critiques established assumptions surrounding citizenship and consumption. Drawing on empirical research, it challenges existing stereotypes about the 'consumer as chooser' and shows how we must develop a more sophisticated understanding of consumers, examining their place and role as users of public services.

Policy Press

Shaping health policy

Case study methods and analysis

This collection, written by leading health policy researchers, examines the role that case-studies play in British health policy, covering key health policy literatures in the policy process, analytical frameworks and seminal moments of the NHS.

Policy Press

Reforming Healthcare

What's the Evidence?

Reforming healthcare: What's the evidence? is the first major critical overview of the research published on healthcare reform in England from 1990 onwards by a team of leading UK health policy academics.

Policy Press

The Coalition Government and Social Policy

Restructuring the Welfare State

A wide-range of experts respond to the political and social policy changes made under the UK coalition government (2010-15) and provide a critical assessment of how their policies affected the British welfare state.

Policy Press