ABC of mental health: Community mental health services

Community mental health centres should be located in the locality that they serve and provide the base from which multidisciplinary teams deliver the bulk of mental health services for a particular community.A multidisciplinary team may include psychiatrists, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists, social workers, and counsellors supported by an administrative team.The psychiatrist is the bridge between inpatient and community teams and maintains close links with general practitioners, social services, and voluntary organisations.