The Buckingham Project: A Comprehensive Mental Health Service Based Upon Behavioural Psychotherapy

Abstract

Behavioural psychotherapy has been demonstrated as the treatment of choice in most forms of serious mental disorders. In some instances it interacts synergistically with drug therapies. The Buckingham Project is a field trial of a comprehensive mental health service that employs behavioural analysis and therapy in the management of all cases of adult disorders occurring in an epidemiologically defined population. A multi-disciplinary team provide in vivo treatment. Results suggest that the incidence and prevalence of major episodes of mental illness have been substantially reduced and that the need for traditional hospital-based care has been minimised. The significance of this project for planning health services and for the future of behavioural psychotherapy is discussed.