In this timely analysis, Rich Moth assesses mental health services in a period of major change. Based on extended fieldwork in community mental health services, he explores the many impacts of policy reform, marketisation and austerity on NHS mental health provision, and positions developments in the contexts of neoliberalism and an increased emphasis on individual responsibility. Firmly rooted in the lived experiences of people using mental health services and the everyday practices of social workers, nurses and psychiatrists, he develops a stimulating perspective on how mental distress is understood and responded to within these settings.In this timely analysis Rich Moth investigates the impact of policy reforms, marketisation and austerity on mental health services. Drawing on the everyday experiences of people using the services and the social workers, nurses and psychiatrists delivering them, he places change within the context of neoliberalism and the shifting balance of individual and state responsibility.