This book provides essential information on psychiatric practice and the related use of psychiatric medication. After an introduction on the knowledge base for ASW practice there is a summary of psychiatric practice in the UK, followed by information on the main forms of medication used in psychiatry. For many detained patients the compulsory administration of medication is an enormous issue, so the law relating to consent to treatment is outlined and the relevance of the European Convention of Human Rights in this field is summarised. The book concludes with a discussion on the changing roles of mental health professionals.