Risk-taking and the 'Risk Business'

We are in 'the risk business', but what is so wrong about that? Just as risk applies to the lives of everyone every day, so risk has always been an integral part of daily working practice in mental health services. We have choices:

• To take a narrow and restrictive approach in our expectations of risk avoidance, with the more likely consequences of frustrating the potential of those who deliver services, and risk the disengagement and disenchantment of those who need and use the services.
• To be more proactive and constructive in our appreciation that calculated risk-taking motivates and benefits everyone.

The article below (unpublished) sets out a definition of what Positive Risk-Taking is and how we go about doing it in a constructive way

Risk Taking and the Risk Business

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• Practice Based Evidence
• Consultancy Services
• Practice Development in Mental Health
• A Strengths Approach
• Strengths Approach & Leadership
• Community Mental Health Teams
• Assertive Outreach Teams - Projects
• Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Teams
• Positive Risk Taking
• Challenging Evidence Based Practice
• Risk-making or risk-taking
• Positive Risk-taking: an idea whose time has come
• Working with Risk (tools)
• Risk Definitions
• Working with Service Users
• Care Programme Approach