Managing mental health services in London

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Although the growth of managerialism in mental health services has been a central theme of the last decade, little research appears to have been undertaken on the views of these increasingly important players. In July 1996, researchers at the Centre for Mental Health Services Development interviewed and collected narratives dictated by 57 senior managers of mental health services in London. The analysis of these interviews and narratives formed a central component of London's Mental Health, the report of the King's Fund London Commission. During July 1997, the current authors sent a follow-up postal questionnaire to the 78 most senior managers of mental health services within health authorities, local authorities and trusts in London to establish how views had changed during the 12 months since the original interviews. Fifty-three managers returned completed questionnaires. This paper analyses their responses and compares them with responses to the original study. We trace discernible trends in the views of managers and examine the potential implications for national policy and local implementation within mental health services.