ABSTRACT
Although many people are satisfied with the care they receive, for various reasons we fail to reach a significant number of people. Assertive outreach services are not so much a new form of therapy, but a more intensive arrangement of services for people who, whether because of choice or circumstances, have not developed a helpful relationship with services, resulting in greater distress and frequent re-hospitalization. Where there is a lack of relationship, medication often becomes the only (and often very problematic) option and, critically, the person’s needs are no longer at the centre of care as professionals attempt to take control of the situation.
