A new deal for the mentally ill: Progress or propaganda?

Abstract

Since the late 1950s, successive British government's have embraced the philosophy of caring for dependent groups in the community in prefer ence to institutions. Yet through this period it has become commonplace for social policy analysts to deride the gap between political and profes sional rhetoric, and the lived experiences of the users of services and informal carers.The policy has become characterised as by the communority, and not care in the community (Walker, 1982). After much prevarication, the present govermment has provided a policy framework which purports to offer the prospect of a better deal for those who need care, and their carers. This paper axamines the adequacy of this policy framework, and argues that serious faiging exist withine it. Unwar ranted assumptions, contradictory policy aims, and substantial amissions characterise the most recent attempt to improve communty care policy. Based on this analysis, we argue that a radical; historically based, review of recent develppments of the mental health services is urgently required.