Staff Shortages in the Mental Health Workforce: The case of the disappearing approved social worker

This article explores the difference in numbers of approved social workers (ASW) in England and Wales between 1992 and 2002, and how this compares to the number of workers per population of 100,000. The authors conclude that specific and targeted action needs to be taken by the government and public sector employers to determine the numbers of mental health social workers needed in modernized community mental health services.