The future of the community mental health team

Abstract

The community mental health team, a robust multidisciplinary group of professionals, is relatively new to psychiatric services.In a short time, however, it has become established as a potent force in the care of the mentally ill. It seems likely to become the cornerstone of the psychiatric service in the next 100 years as it is the powerhouse of community psychiatry and the natural link to hospital services. It advantages over other services include its ability to see patients wherever and whenever is most appropriate, its judicious mix of skills, its cost-effectiveness, and its liaison function between primary and secondary care.Evidence is given for these optimistic assertions which help to counteract the claims of some of the more flamboyant competitors in the field.