Seventy-one neurotic patients requiring follow-up were randomly assigned to routine psychiatric out-patient care or to supportive home visiting from community psychiatric nurses as their main treatment agents and were assessed every six months for 18 months. No differences were found between effectiveness of the two modes of service on symptoms, social adjustment or family burden. Patients seeing community psychiatric nurses reported greater satisfaction with treatment. Community psychiatric nursing resulted in a marked reduction in out-patient contacts with psychiatrists and other staff, more discharges, and a small increase in general practitioner contact for prescribing. Care of such patients by community psychiatric nurses is a valuable alternative mode of deployment within the psychiatric team.