Welfare Reform on the Web (June 2008): Social security - UK - New Deal

The formation of public-public partnerships: a case study examination of collaboration on a 'back to work' initiative

K. Greasley, P.J. Watson and S. Patel

International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 21, 2008, p. 305-313

The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to returning disabled people to employment through a variety of initiatives including the pathways to work programme. This requires Job Centres to form partnerships with NHS-based providers of medical rehabilitation schemes. This study examines the organisational issues that Job Centre staff and NHS service providers faced when attempting to form a collaborative partnership to deliver the rehabilitation service as part of the Back to Work Programme. In particular it examines the perceptions of members of the partnerships who operated at various levels within their organisations.