Contributes to the debate on contemporary health policy aimed at closing mental hospitals through an exploration of the experiences of a group of people with a history of schizophrenic illness, who are living in the community.

The aim of contemporary mental health policy is to enable people who have had a severe mental illness to lead relatively independent lives in the community, rather than be sequestered permanently in the large mental hospitals. In recent years plans to hasten the closure of many of these hospitals have become controversial and generated sharp debate about community care. From the Mental Patient to the Person contributes to this debate through an exploration of the experiences of a group of people with a history of schizophrenic illness, who are living in the community.

'This is an important book, which should be read by all those responsible for mental health policy.' - Anthony Storr, The Independent on Sunday`This is a book of interest ot anyone concerned with the social fate of people with a long history of schizophrenic illness... It has implications for all who are concerned with the implementation of current social policies to re-establish psychiatric patients in the community.' - Rosemary Morrison , International Social Work