ABSTRACT
So far, we have examined the quality of life of people who are receiving mental health services in the community rather than in hospital. We regard the hospital services as one form of care which is an essential part of the spectrum of resources available and which should be made available to those who need it, for as long as they need it. In Chapter 5 we described a residential provision which, in many respects, was superior to the standard care provided by local authority residential and community services. Our conclusion from findings such as these is that the population in need is heterogenous and that within it there will be people for whom a brief or extended period in residential care or in hospital makes an essential contribution to their care in the community. Everyone is agreed that such periods should be no longer than necessary.
