"This multi-disciplinary volume reviews recent evidence from a major research programme, commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Programme (ESRC), into the evolution and impact of contracting in the NHS. Each chapter examines a particular aspect of health and social care, including competition between hospitals and the effects of GP fundholding, and discusses the important theoretical implications of the NHS 'quasi-market'." "It will be essential reading for anyone interested in the policy and management challenges of contemporary health care."--BOOK JACKET.