Care management

BMJ 1996;312:1539-1540 (15 June)

Letters

Care management

Care programme approach constitutes good management

EDITOR,--Max Marshall is correct in distinguishing between "standard"case management and "assertive community treatment."¹ Clearly,the benefits suggested by research on assertive community teamscannot be expected for routine community teams, which have lowerratios of staff to patients. This does not mean, however, thatthe care programme approach offers no benefits to patients andtheir relatives. It is hard to see how the components of thecare programme approach can be regarded as anything but goodpractice for people with a mental illness. Surely patients shouldhave their needs assessed and care plans recorded. And, surely,any care that is instigated should be reviewed and there shouldbe one professional who monitors the care plan and to whom thepatient and relatives can turn. These principles of care areappropriate for mildly depressed patients seeing one doctorin an outpatient clinic as well . . . [Full text of this article]