New Roles For Mental Health Nurses, UK

A major review of mental health nursing was published today by Health
Minister Rosie Winterton and Chief Nursing Officer Christine Beasley.
The review recommends key actions needed for nurses to be able to
improve the care of people with mental health problems, for example
by providing more psychological therapies and by promoting physical
wellbeing.


The review, "From Values to Action", is the result of a major
consultation exercise launched last year in the context of government
reforms such as "Choosing Health", "Delivering Race Equality" and the
draft Mental Health Bill. As the largest professional group in mental
health services, mental health nurses play a vital role in delivering
these reforms and it is important that their career structure
reflects that.


Some key recommendations of the review were:


-- Mental health Nurses (MHNs) should focus on the wider needs of the
patient, using their skills to improve physical well-being through
better assessment and health promotion activities, and by providing
more psychological therapies


-- Inpatient care should be improved by increasing the time MHNs spend
in direct clinical contact with service users and minimising the time
they spend on administrative roles


-- Career structures for MHNs should be reviewed according to local
needs and a range of new nursing roles developed and supported


-- MHNs should promote social inclusion for service users and their
carers


-- The recruitment and retention of MHNs needs to be improved through
initiatives such as linking with schools and colleges and presenting
positive messages about mental health to the media.


Rosie Winterton said:


"Mental health nurses have always been a vital part of effective
mental health services and in recent years they have played an
absolutely key part in the ongoing transformation of mental health
services.


"The time is right to build on these improvements and to provide
mental health nurses with a new direction and clear future role in
order to deliver government reforms such as the Mental Health Bill,
personalised care and choice.


"As mental health nursing improves, service users will see the
benefits."


Christine Beasley said:


"I am delighted that mental health nurses are leading the way in
working with users and carers in developing a system fit for the
twenty-first century. This report aims to help mental health nurses,
their organisations and professional leaders put in place the
practical changes that will make a difference to service users. I
want this review to be used on the ground to shape everyday practice
wherever care is given to mental health service users and their
families.


"I would like to thank all those who contributed to this work and
particularly the service users and carers who gave up their valuable
time to tell us their stories, share their ideas and remind us what
we are all here for."















National director for mental health Professor Louis Appleby said:


"Mental health nursing is at the heart of modern healthcare. Through
the development of new roles, such as prescribing, and new skills in
areas such as physical wellbeing, mental health nurses are at the
forefront of changes in how services provide for the needs of people
with mental health problems. All mental health professionals are
having to rethink the part they will play in the services of the
future. This report sets out an optimistic and ambitious vision of a
confident and responsive nursing profession."


A wide range of professional and other organisations support the
review and its recommendations.


The Mental Health Nurses' Association, Royal College of Nursing and
UNISON said:


"Service users consulted have been clear about what they value and
what they want from us. We now face the challenge of meeting those
expectations."


1. The full report can be found on dh.uk


2. The public consultation opened on July 28 2005 and asked the
question "how can mental health nursing best contribute to the care
of service users in the future?" In particular, it sought views as to
how mental health nurses should contribute to a wide range of issues
including:


-- Services for people from black and ethnic minority groups

-- The delivery of psychological therapies

-- Health promotion

-- Meeting the needs of carers.


The Department of Health received over 300 written responses to the
consultation, the majority focusing on the values of mental health
nursing, the need for holistic practice and to build an
infrastructure that will support new developments.


3. Mental health nurses are the largest professional group in mental
health services with nearly 47,000 qualified nurses working in the
NHS in England, and another 30,000 support staff working with them.