Continuity of care is a necessity for people with severe mental illness. It is essential to the delivery of high-quality care. When it is present, it prevents crisis, builds trust, and supports recovery. When it is absent, it fragments support, burdens families, and puts lives at risk. This continuity must be built into the design of mental health services, not left to chance. At the moment it is too easy for people to fall out of care, in some cases being discharged when there is a need for ...

Continuity of care is a necessity for people with severe mental illness. It is essential to the delivery of high-quality care. When it is present, it prevents crisis, builds trust, and supports recovery. When it is absent, it fragments support, burdens families, and puts lives at risk. This continuity must be built into the design of mental health services, not left to chance. At the moment it is too easy for people to fall out of care, in some cases being discharged when there is a need for ongoing support. The approach to providing continuity of care must reflect the enduring nature of SMIs and the impact this has on people’s lives. (Conclu Type: conclusion | Number: 2 | Response status: no_published_response