Mental health coalition challenges Milburn on bill

This paper aims to highlight both the necessity, and the way forward for mental health nursing to integrate proposed legislative roles into practice. Argued is that community mental health nursing, historically absent from active participation within mental health law in the UK, is faced with new and demanding roles under proposed changes to the 1983 Mental Health Act of England and Wales. While supporting multidisciplinary training for such roles, the imperative of incorporating nursing specific values into consequent training programs is addressed through the offered educative framework. This framework explores the issues of power, ethics, legislative thematics and application to contemporary service structures.

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding roles within mental health legislation: an opportunity for professional growth or a missed opportunity?

Hurley

Linsley

2007

“…Mental health nurses have issued definitive statements within the public domain that declare mental health nurses perceive being involved in the detention of users compromises their role. Additionally, this professional group believes that the therapeutic relationship with the user will be irreparably damaged by being placed in a policing model of care arising from the proposals of the new act (Healy 2002, Parish 2002). There is a paucity of evidence clearly demonstrating a relationship between the quality of the nurse–user relationship and nurses invoking MHA legislation.…”

Section: Mental Health Nursesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proposed changes to the Mental Health Act of England and Wales: research indicating future educational and training needs for mental health nurses

Hurley¹,

Linsley²

2006

Proposed changes to the Mental Health Act (MHA) legislation in England and Wales have been identified as having significant impact upon both mental health service delivery and professional roles. Key issues being identified for both service delivery and professionals are the creation of approved mental health professionals (AMHP), increased demand upon community services and a potential negative impact upon the therapeutic relationship. Mental health nurses in particular have expressed their concerns, through their professional bodies, regarding the impact of the proposed MHA changes upon the therapeutic relationship. The aim of this article is to present findings from recently conducted research that explores experiences and perceptions of approved social workers (ASWs) regarding the impact of invoking the MHA upon the therapeutic relationship. These findings inform wider mental health nursing practice of essential skills and knowledge to protect and potentially enhance the therapeutic relationship while invoking MHA legislation. A questionnaire was distributed to ASWs working within the Trent region. The questionnaire included both closed and open questions inviting respondents to expand upon their experiences with the brief initial findings being earlier published. Semi-structured interviews with eight invited respondents to develop their responses were undertaken enabling an approach that was both conversational and emergent.

“…Definitive statements within the public domain have been issued to the effect that mental health nurses think being involved in the detention of patients compromises their role. Additionally, it is asserted that mental health nurses believe that their therapeutic relationship with users will be irreparably damaged if they are forced to adopt a policing model of care as a result of proposals of the new Act (Healy 2002, Parish 2002, Chan 2002). These statements appear at odds with ongoing practices under the current MHA in England and Wales with a recent survey identifying that one in five of London's acute mental health wards is permanently locked.…”

Section: Context and Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proposed changes to the Mental Health Act of England and Wales – research investigating the debate

Hurley

Linsley

2005