Ethics and Mental Health

The Patient, Profession and Community

Garry Walter author Michael Robertson author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:26th Sep '13

£51.99

Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.

Ethics and Mental Health cover

The field of ethics is expanding and has assumed new significance as a compulsory part of study for psychiatrists and all mental health professionals. Ethics and Mental Health: The Patient, Profession and Community presents a new approach to these ethical dilemmas that have become an increasing part of modern practice.

The book begins by exploring current normative theories of psychiatric ethics. It describes how empirical methods can make codes of conduct more representative of professional values. Considering their previous work, concepts of justice, and the moderate communitarian position, the authors outline their methodology, which argues that mental health professionals exist within a perpetual state of tension, caused by conflicts between the Hippocratic Oath, personal values, notions of social justice, and the potentially harmful influences of their social role.

Applying their theory to the area of involuntary psychiatric treatment, the authors address the context of psychiatric practice and the moral agency of psychiatrists. They outline the different influences on the craft of psychiatry to better illustrate the diverse forces that impact moral deliberation and the practice of ethics in mental health. In doing so, they cover areas as diverse as cultural, economic, scientific, and political domains.

The final section of the book applies the methodology to contemporary problems in mental health ethics, formulating how mental health clinicians can approach these quandaries. The book brings a new perspective to classic dilemmas from the past, to contemporary challenges, and in anticipation, to new concerns that will inevitably arise in a dynamic and complex professional context.

"Robertson and Walter’s book does not disappoint the reader. It is set out and written in a clear and educative style. We, the readers, are gradually and considerately initiated into the language and concepts of moral philosophy, and the particular dilemmas facing the psychiatrist and the profession. … The main issues of the past, present and immediate future of psychiatry are addressed. The authors offer a grounded and practical model for approaching them. … The moral philosophy of psychiatry and Robertson and Walter’s book are essential considerations for all of us."
Nick O’Connor, St Leonards, Sydney, Australasian Psychiatry, 2013

"Chapters end with extensive references and some have a summary of important points. Additionally, there are some diagrams, tables, and a few black-and-white photographs."
—Steven T. Herron, MD, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Doody's Review Service

ISBN: 9781444168648

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 460g

290 pages