Reorientation of the mental health services towards community care was one of the main recommendations contained in the report of the Royal Commission on Mental Health Law (1957) and accepted as Government policy. It was implied that there would be a considerable expansion in the services provided by local health and welfare authorities for the benefit of the mentally disordered, and local authorities were asked to draw up a proper order of priorities and plan their activities accordingly (Ministry of Health, 1959). The priorities depended upon an assessment of needs and time had to elapse before these became apparent. Since four complete years have passed since the coming into operation of the Mental Health Act, 1959, detailed assessment has become possible and this has revealed the difficulties experienced in the community by two special groups of patients, namely mentally abnormal offenders and patients of no fixed abode (N.F.A.s).
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Berry et al. (1966) studied this question.