Isn’t SCT simply ineffective?
No. A review of research evidence commissioned by DH (Churchill et al 2007) found that there was a lack of conclusive evidence about the effects of community treatment orders internationally. A lack of evidence should not be confused with a lack of efficacy. The lack of evidence is not surprising due to the nature of these interventions; there are many practical and methodological problems in research in this area. Interestingly the study did show that many stakeholders had positive views about CTOs. A research study into how SCT will work in England has already been commissioned.
