Care in the community and whether or not it has worked is a topical issue at the moment, with debate and disillusionment amongst those working in the profession. This volume deals with care of the mentally ill (psychiatric and geriatric) patient in community settings and the implications for hospitals, community services and staff, and for the patients. It examines patient outcomes, service provision and effectiveness, economics of provision and impact on staff and community. Based on a ten year study of the move to community care in the London area conducted by the Team for the Assessment of Psychiatric Services (TAPS), it offers international comparisons with similar experiences of deinstitutionalization in the US and Italy. It should be useful reading for all those concerned with the future development of care in the community.