'… a timely publication. The editors are to be congratulated for assembling such a comprehensive volume. It should be read by all involved in psychiatry.' Patrick Bracken, The Times Higher Education Supplement

• Contributors; Foreword; Part I. Principles and Policies: 1. The scope and limitations of emergency mental health services in the community Heinz Katschnig; 2. Service models in emergency psychiatry: an international review Sonia Johnson and Graham Thornicroft; 3. Users' perspective on emergency needs Liz Sayce, Yvonne Christie, Mike Slade and Alison Cobb; 4. Legal aspects of mental health emergencies Ian Bynoe, Adina Halpern and Caroline Bates; 5. The economics of mental health emergency services Paul McCrone; 6. Suicide prevention David Kingdon and Rachel Jenkins; 7. Using the crisis Max Birchwood and Val Drury; 8. Community assessment of crisis Kim Sutherby and George Szmukler; Part II. Challenge of Implementation: 9. Establishing a local emergency service Geraldine Strathdee, Michael Phelan and Ann Watts; 10. Maintaining an emergency service Peter Tyrer; 11. Psychiatric emergencies in the casualty department Sonia Johnson and Howard Baderman; 12. Acute crisis respite care William H Sledge, Jack Tebes and Jaak Rakfeldt; 13. Family placement schemes as an alternative to short-term hospitalisation Russell Bennett; 14. Acute home-based care and community psychiatry Lorenzo Burti and Michele Tansella; 15. Acute day hospital care Francis Creed; 16. Acute in-patient wards Tom Sensky and Jan Scott; 17. The future of mental health emergency services Michael Phelan, Geraldine Strathdee and Graham Thornicroft; Index.

'… a timely publication. The editors are to be congratulated for assembling such a comprehensive volume. It should be read by all involved in psychiatry.' Patrick Bracken, The Times Higher Education Supplement

• Contributors; Foreword; Part I. Principles and Policies: 1. The scope and limitations of emergency mental health services in the community Heinz Katschnig; 2. Service models in emergency psychiatry: an international review Sonia Johnson and Graham Thornicroft; 3. Users' perspective on emergency needs Liz Sayce, Yvonne Christie, Mike Slade and Alison Cobb; 4. Legal aspects of mental health emergencies Ian Bynoe, Adina Halpern and Caroline Bates; 5. The economics of mental health emergency services Paul McCrone; 6. Suicide prevention David Kingdon and Rachel Jenkins; 7. Using the crisis Max Birchwood and Val Drury; 8. Community assessment of crisis Kim Sutherby and George Szmukler; Part II. Challenge of Implementation: 9. Establishing a local emergency service Geraldine Strathdee, Michael Phelan and Ann Watts; 10. Maintaining an emergency service Peter Tyrer; 11. Psychiatric emergencies in the casualty department Sonia Johnson and Howard Baderman; 12. Acute crisis respite care William H Sledge, Jack Tebes and Jaak Rakfeldt; 13. Family placement schemes as an alternative to short-term hospitalisation Russell Bennett; 14. Acute home-based care and community psychiatry Lorenzo Burti and Michele Tansella; 15. Acute day hospital care Francis Creed; 16. Acute in-patient wards Tom Sensky and Jan Scott; 17. The future of mental health emergency services Michael Phelan, Geraldine Strathdee and Graham Thornicroft; Index.

'… a timely publication. The editors are to be congratulated for assembling such a comprehensive volume. It should be read by all involved in psychiatry.' Patrick Bracken, The Times Higher Education Supplement

• Contributors; Foreword; Part I. Principles and Policies: 1. The scope and limitations of emergency mental health services in the community Heinz Katschnig; 2. Service models in emergency psychiatry: an international review Sonia Johnson and Graham Thornicroft; 3. Users' perspective on emergency needs Liz Sayce, Yvonne Christie, Mike Slade and Alison Cobb; 4. Legal aspects of mental health emergencies Ian Bynoe, Adina Halpern and Caroline Bates; 5. The economics of mental health emergency services Paul McCrone; 6. Suicide prevention David Kingdon and Rachel Jenkins; 7. Using the crisis Max Birchwood and Val Drury; 8. Community assessment of crisis Kim Sutherby and George Szmukler; Part II. Challenge of Implementation: 9. Establishing a local emergency service Geraldine Strathdee, Michael Phelan and Ann Watts; 10. Maintaining an emergency service Peter Tyrer; 11. Psychiatric emergencies in the casualty department Sonia Johnson and Howard Baderman; 12. Acute crisis respite care William H Sledge, Jack Tebes and Jaak Rakfeldt; 13. Family placement schemes as an alternative to short-term hospitalisation Russell Bennett; 14. Acute home-based care and community psychiatry Lorenzo Burti and Michele Tansella; 15. Acute day hospital care Francis Creed; 16. Acute in-patient wards Tom Sensky and Jan Scott; 17. The future of mental health emergency services Michael Phelan, Geraldine Strathdee and Graham Thornicroft; Index.