A new review of mental health nursing, From Values to Action, has been published by the UK Government as a result of a major consultation held last year. The review recommends many ways in which mental health nurses in England can improve the service they are offering.
Rosie Winterton, the English Health Minister, 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.”
Some of the recommendations from the report include:
• Mental health nurses should focus on the wider needs of patients including physical well-being and providing more psychological therapies.
• More direct clinical time should be spent with inpatients rather than on administration.
• Career structures should be reviewed according to local needs.
• Mental health nurses should promote social inclusion for all service users and carers.
For more information, go to: The Department of Health website.