The introduction and evaluation of Community Care Orders following the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995

Community Care Orders (CCOs) were introduced in Scotland in the Mental Health (Patients in the Community) Act 1995, which also saw the reduction of leave of absence. The aim of the study was to evaluate the use of CCOs in the first 33 months of their availability and to assess psychiatrists' and patients' views on their usefulness. Three data sources were used: (1) Mental Welfare Commission; (2) a named patient survey to consultant psychiatrists; (3) interviews with patients. Forty-five CCOs were used between 1 April 1996 and 31 December 1998. Half of these were judged successful by consultants. Conditions were varied and the impact on patients' lives could be extensive. There is confusion over the ability of CCOs to enforce medication but 77% implicitly or explicitly mentioned medication. CCO use has been low but set against the negative expectations of psychiatrists might be judged more successful than expected