Dissatisfaction with traditional Western psychiatry, with its emphasis on hospitalization and chemical treatment, has led to a gradual shift towards community care in Western Europe and a reassessment of our attitudes towards mental distress. Italy has been the trailblazer in the radical reforms. This book aims to provide a comprehensive insiders' view of the successes and failures of the Italian system and its implications for the future. Has it been a judicious programme, or simply a way of disposing of psychiatric care by relocating outside the hospital gate? Britain looks set to follow suit. Substantial and controversial changes are taking place. "Psychiatry in Transition" brings together the voices of experts in the field, which collectively aim to offer a lucid and constructive criticism of the new approaches to psychiatric care.
