Overview of Mental Health

Mental Health over the last 10 years:

• In 1999 a ten year reform programme was launched as the National Service Framework for Mental Health in England.
• This programme acknowledged the neglect that mental health services had suffered from for years and pledged to redress the balance of service provision.
• 1999 also saw the creation of a National Director of Mental Health to oversee the implementation of the National Service Framework.
• Funding for the NHS in general tripled and for mental health as increased by approximately £1.5 billion.
• This has led to increases in staffing with 1300 more consultant psychiatrists, 2700 clinical psychologists and almost 10,000 mental health nurses.
• The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published several mental health related guidance works which aim to improve patient care and increase efficiency. The topics they have covered include schizophrenia, depression and self-harm as well as many others.
• The introduction of the 1998 Human Rights Act has also improved the provision of services and has led to a new “human rights based approach” in healthcare which puts the service user qua human at the centre of service.
• The 1983 Mental Health Act has been replaced by the Mental Health Act 2007.
• Along with the Mental Health Act came a revision of the Code of Practice which governs the method of delivery. The new Mental Health Act Code of Practice reinforces the changes that have occurred in mental healthcare practice and recognises the shift towards more person centred care.
• Most recently of all Lord Darzi has completed his review of the NHS and published his findings which have found that while services have improved the Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) recognise that there is still much to be done.
• The NHS is awaiting the formalisation of its new constitution which will enshrine the health service’s obligations to the people.