This is a book for practitioners working in community-based healthcare as well as educators of future practitioners and researchers exploring this practice field and for people with chronic disabilities and their families and carers. The book invites readers to re-think and re-shape the way that community-based healthcare is practised by practitioners and experienced/engaged with by clients/patients and their families and other carers.

Based on a PhD study of therapeutic relationships in community healthcare settings in NSW, Australia, and on real-life experiences of practitioners, clients and clients’ families and care givers, this book paints a rich picture of the lived experiences of these participants in community-based healthcare. It examines the issues and challenges they face and the ways they deal with these.

Key themes identified across the book are: the value and nature of relationships in this unique healthcare setting, the importance of time and using it well, the way good teamwork facilitates good community-based, patient-centred healthcare, balancing autonomy and equality with healthcare quality, practice wisdom embodied in healthcare, and ways of improving healthcare in clients’ own homes.