This is a reflective essay based on my participation in a Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (MDT) during my two-week internship at a hospital in local mental health day. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the importance of the multidisciplinary team in the mental health environment and to discuss factors that may influence the success or failure of multidisciplinary teams. Mental health teams generally include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists and social workers. workers, but other therapists such as family therapists, psychotherapists, and counselors may also participate in the patient's care (Perkins & Repper, 1998). Multidisciplinary involvement is important in mental health nursing because people with mental health problems have multiple needs. a variety of expertise is required to meet the needs of these individuals (Darby et al 1999). Multidisciplinary mental health teams can be defined as: “A group of practitioners with different professional training, employed by more than one agency, who meet regularly to coordinate their work in providing services to one or more clients in a defined domain” (Ovretveit, 1993: 9 cited in Onyett 2003). The benefit of a multidisciplinary team approach is that all professionals work together, collecting facts and gathering information, to get as complete a picture of each patient's problems as possible. In doing so, they can ensure that the appropriate range of treatments are used in a properly planned manner (Onyett 2003). One of the disadvantages of a multidisciplinary team is that problems can arise when different professionals work together. unclear goals, lack of direction, and poor leadership (D...... middle of article......could increase my knowledge and understanding of how different disciplines work together. ReferencesBurns, S. Bulman, C. Palmer, A. (1997) Reflective practice in nursing - The growth of the professional practitioner London: Blackwell Science Darby, S. Marr, J. Crump, A Scurfield, M (1999) Older people, care. Nursing and Mental Health Oxford: Buterworth-Heinemann.Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by Doing, A Guide to Cheltenham Teaching and Learning Methods: The Geography Discipline Network (GDN).Newell, R. Gournay, K (2000) Mental Health Nursing - An Evidence Based Approach London: Churchill Livingstone.Nursing and Midwifery Council (2002) Code of Professional Conduct: LondonOnyett, S. (2003) Teamworking in Mental Health Bristol: Palgrave Macmillan. . Perkins, R. Repper, J. (1998) Dilemmas in community mental health. Oxon: Radcliff Medical Press Ltd.