Jonathan Radcliffe & Katja Hajek 
Psychological groupwork with acute psychiatric inpatients 

This book is the first to focus exclusively on inpatient therapeutic groupwork in acute psychiatry, from a multi-disciplinary perspective. All authors are active groupwork practitioners, who provide vivid case material providing unique insights into the group process. Writers make the argument for the importance of therapeutic groupwork in acute inpatient settings. They describes survey data that show an absence of therapeutic activity on wards and the need for a 'culture of participation’. They describes some national schemes designed to improve the situation, such as the Star Wards initiative. Two authors look the state of research on therapeutic groupwork in inpatient settings, and suggest how the evidence base might be strengthened. The book will be of great value to any mental health professional, whether qualified or in training. Although reflecting experience in British clinical settings, the issues raised have a wider interest for those working to achieve excellent acute inpatient psychiatric settings in other countries.