Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2002): Mental Health Services - UK
ACTIVE OUTREACH: AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE USER EVALUATION OF A MODEL OF ASSERTIVE OUTREACH PRACTICE
R. Graley-Wetherall and S. Morgan
London: Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2001
Reports an independent service user evaluation of the active outreach service provided by the Norwich-based housing association Julian Housing. The evaluation indicated a high level of satisfaction with the services offered by the active outreach team. The team had successfully engaged and met the needs of a traditionally hard to reach client group.
BEING THERE IN A CRISIS
A. Faulkner, S. Petit-Zeman, J. Sherlock and J. Wallcraft
London: Mental Health Foundation and Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2002
Reviews the development of the crisis programme launched by the Mental Health Foundation in 1996. This focuses on three crisis houses which offer user-led services to people with mental health problems as an alternative to hospital admission. They offer more emotional support, less emphasis on drug therapy, and more contact with staff than NHS acute wards. Report demonstrates that community-based crisis services can meet people's needs effectively and can work in collaboration with mainstream services to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
BRINGING THE FRAMEWORK TO LIFE
A. Faulkner and T. Basset
Mental Health Today, Mar. 2002, p. 22-24
The Mental Health Foundation's Strategies for Living project (SfL) is a user-led project that seeks to empower service users to share their own strategies for living with mental distress. Article discusses how findings from research emerging from the project could be used in Mental Health NSF implementation.
AN EXPLORATION OF THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY NURSE, LEARNING DISABILITY, IN ENGLAND
C. Mobbs et al
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, vol. 30, 2002, p. 13-18
Presents the results of a survey of NHS trusts which explored the role of community nurses, learning disabilities, their working practices and qualifications, the client group whom they serve and how they relate to other professionals. Provides a snapshot of the current status of an evolving profession.
FORGET ME NOT 2002: DEVELOPING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE IN ENGLAND
Audit Commission
Audit Commission Publications, 2002
Report summaries main findings of audits of local mental health services for older people in England. Found that many GPs need more support, but specialist training for them can be limited. Carers of people with dementia need good advice and information, but 75% of areas lacked good written information about local services. Specialist services need strengthening in some areas. For example, specialist teams for older people with mental health problems were fully available in less than half of all areas. Difficulties were also reported by carers in getting respite care. Teamwork and strategy were also found to need further attention.
FROM WORDS INTO ACTION: LONDON LEARNING DISABILITIES STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
NHS Executive, London and Social Services Inspectorate, London
[London]: 2001
Provides a practical framework for local authorities to use in developing services for people with learning difficulties. The framework covers a range of issues including user empowerment and control, choice, social inclusion, partnerships and best value.
HELPING THOSE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ACCESS OPEN EMPLOYMENT: A GLASGOW CASE STUDY
K. Hayton
Local Economy, vol. 17, 2002, p. 35-49
Paper looks at the varied ways that have evolved to help the mentally ill return to work. Drawing on research undertaken in Glasgow, it finds that mental health projects have developed in isolation from one another and from the wider local economic development network. It argues that a more effective service could be provided if there was improved networking between projects and if they concentrated upon interventions in their own specialist field. This would involve mental health projects undertaking the social and therapeutic aspects of support, while economic development projects dealt with vocational training and labour market links.
MINISTERS "FAILING TO KEEP PROMISES ON MENTAL HEALTH"
D. Charter
Times, Feb. 25th 2002, p. 14
Slow progress is being made in the promised modernisation of the mental health services. Answers to Parliamentary questions show that:
- only 16 of 50 "early intervention teams" promised by 2003-04 have been set up;
- no system has been set up to monitor how many of the promised 1000 graduate health workers have been employed;
- only 129 of the 335 "crisis resolution teams" promised by 2004 will be in place by 2003;
- the promise that all patients will be able to call on crisis resolution services by 2004 has so far been met in only 4% of areas.
RECIPROCAL WORKING BY EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES: LESSONS FOR A LESS-TRAVELLED ROAD
R. McConkey
British Journal of Special Education, vol. 29, 2002, p. 3-8
Focuses on collaboration between education, health and social care professionals in services to people with learning difficulties. Highlights three avenues that have opened up for bringing together professionals from different disciplines: early intervention services; statutory assessments and issuing Statements of Special Educational Needs; and transition planning for progression from education to post-school provision.
SELF-ADVOCACY: VESTED INTERESTS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS
S. Aspis
British Journal of Learning Disabilities, vol. 30, 2002, p. 3-7
Currently self-advocacy by people with learning difficulties achieves only minor and temporary changes and does not change the balance of power between service users and professionals. People with learning difficulties need to be equipped to use self-advocacy to effect substantive and permanent change at the institutional, local authority and national levels.
SLOW PROGRESS
F. Andrews, P. Burdon and K. Huggins Cooper
Community Care, Feb. 21st - 27th 2002, p. 32-33
During 2000-2001 the Audit Commission's district audit has reviewed the provision of mental health and rehabilitation services for older people by the NHS and local authorities. Services were found to be patchy and disjointed. Agencies do not work well together and do not provide seamless care.
WHERE THE LIVING IS EASIER
P. O. Smith
Health Service Journal, vol. 112, 28th Feb. 2002, p. 18
Article looks at how community-based crisis services can keep psychiatric patients out of hospital and reduce feelings of stigma.
WORKING FOR INCLUSION: MAKING SOCIAL INCLUSION A REALITY FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
P. Bates (ed)
London: Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, 2002
Report gives practical guidance on how mental health services can work with other providers to support people with severe mental health problems at home, at work and in social settings.