PART II - THE CONTEXT AND LOCATION OF TREATMENT

Summary

In the assessment of people suffering from mental illness, understanding the context of the problem (which is to say the patient's personality, life history and current circumstances) is of crucial importance. The context of treatment is similarly of critical importance in making it effective.

Psychiatric treatment is carried out by teams of varying size. Chapters 5 and 6 deal with a range of issues concerning teams and team working.

Although admission to hospital and treatment under duress are to be avoided if at all possible, they are bound to happen sometimes. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 address neglected issues of the location of care and the use of legal compulsion.

Psychiatric treatment occurs in a context of social policy and public attitudes, both of which have a tangible impact on the type of care offered and the relationship between clinicians and service users. These issues are discussed in Chapter 10.