This article examines a central plank of current mental health policy--'recovery'. The latter is being used increasingly as a harbinger of progress, when discussing improvements in service quality and social inclusion. Mainly using Britain as a case study, different usages of the term are considered on the part of three main interest groups: traditional biomedical psychiatrists; social psychiatrists emphasizing social skills training; and dissenting service users. These different usages suggest that 'recovery' is a polyvalent concept, which creates an uneasy consensus point to define the management philosophies of local services enacting mental health policy. It has also emerged during a time when government health policy is seeking to support people with chronic conditions in community settings on the one hand and minimize the risks they might pose on the other. This tension is particularly relevant for those with mental health problems.