Welfare Reform on the Web (March 2003): Mental Health Services - UK
FAST-FORWARDING PRIMARY CARE MENTAL HEALTH: GRADUATE PRIMARY CARE MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS: BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE
National Institute for Mental Health in England [and] Department of Health
London: Department of Health Publications, 2003
Document provides best practice guidance on the effective deployment of new graduate primary care mental health workers. The NHS Plan contained proposals to appoint 1000 new graduate primary care mental health workers by 2004.
MAKING THINGS HAPPEN: FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
Learning Disability Task force
2003
Addresses issues such as the work of the National Care Standards Commission, transitional services for young people with learning difficulties, learning disability partnership boards and family carers.
MAKING VALUING PEOPLE REAL IN WEST SUSSEX: MEETING THE CHALLENGES FOR PARTNERSHIP BOARDS
A Tyson and A Wood
MCC: Building Knowledge for Integrated Care, vol. 10, no.6, December 2002, p.43-48
Valuing people presents a range of challenges for managers and other stakeholders. Partnership boards are charged with leading the change process. This paper sets out the steps that the West Sussex Board has taken to meet these challenges. The paper concludes that stakeholders can be empowered to find their voice where planners commit to an inclusive process.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE 12 YEARS AFTER RESETTLEMENT FROM LONG STAY HOSPITALS: USERS' VIEWS ON THEIR DAILY LIVING ENVIRONMENT, DAILY ACTIVITIES AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS
R Forrester-Jones and others
Disability and Society, vol. 17, 2002, p.741-758
Article reports service users' views on their living environments, daily activities and future aspirations 12 years after their resettlement from long-stay hospitals. Structured interviews were carried out with 196 service users with learning disabilities and 102 with mental health problems. The most frequently mentioned problems included bullying, the physical aspects of their accommodation, and personal feelings of loneliness and boredom. The most preferred activities were outings, education and work, relaxation and leisure. The most disliked activities were housework and having nothing to do. About half of those interviewed either could not or would not answer questions about future aspirations. Those who did wished for greater independence, more outings and personal and sexual relationships.
ALL STEP FORWARD
F Heddell
Community Care, January 16th-22nd 2003, p.38-39
The implementation of the high ideals for the improvement of services for people with learning difficulties is being hindered by lack of resources. There is an urgent need for more investment in specialised housing and in facilitating access to basic health care. Development of the new Local Partnership Boards charged with planning services has been patchy. Most have not yet succeeded in including people with learning difficulties in their work.