Women Caring for People: the mismatch between rhetoric and women’s reality?

This paper explores the implications, for women, of the new structures and systems which are being introduced in the ‘Working for patients’ and ‘Caring for people’ legislation. An exploration which focuses on women is urgent, given their predominance as both paid and unpaid workers in, and users of, community care services. The fundamental changes which are being introduced, ostensibly to empower the disadvantaged and give them more choice and influence, will fail if they do not directly address and draw links between the experiences of women on the giving and receiving end of service delivery.