ABSTRACT

This conclusion presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book discusses the issues about mental illnesses, before turning to a review of the notion of the standard of living. It describes the various issues of economic method associated with Welfare Economics. The book presents the conventional theorems of Welfare Economics. It also discusses the factors thought to inhibit the attainment of Pareto optimality in mental health care. The book considers the range of contributions advancing the field of economics and mental health care. It indicates fundamental conceptual issues that have not yet been addressed relating to the outputs of the mental health care sector. The book elaborates a conceptual framework for the economic analysis of the services provided by the mental health care sector, services which are both multiple and multi-dimensional. It shows that the 'externality argument' clarifies the normative role of government better than does the 'public good argument'.