mental health

Policies and practices for mental health in Europe

Most European countries have recognized mental health as a priority area in recent years. Neuropsychiatric disorders are the second leading cause of disability-adjusted lifeyears (DALYs) in the WHO European Region. The report offers overview of activities in areas such as mental health promotion, mental disorder prevention, preventing stigma, service provision, human rights and empowerment of service users and families and carers.

Human rights: improving public service delivery

This report, created by the Audit Commission, looks at how the Human Rights Act can help to improve public services, as it seeks to ensure the delivery of quality services that meet the needs of individual service users.

The report highlights that not only has the Act increased public service providers’ awareness of the rights of the individual, but it has also meant an increased risk of legal challenge by service users.

Clustering booklet: for use in mental health payment by results evaluation work (July-Dec 2009)

Booklet designed to help in the preparation for mental health Payment by Results. This clustering booklet contains the assessment tool (HoNOS PbR) and the 21 clusters developed by the Care Pathways and Packages Project.

Service users will need to be assessed and 'assigned' to the relevant cluster. As peoples needs change overtime they will need to be re-assessed and re-clustered periodically. The clustering booklet is time-limited as work continues across the NHS to refine and validate both the assessment and the clusters.

SCIE Guide 2: Families that have alcohol and mental health problems: a template for partnership working

This guide is about delivering high quality, coordinated services to families with parents who misuse alcohol or who have mental health problems. It recognises that promoting the well-being of children and keeping them safe should be achieved, wherever possible, by providing support for parents in bringing up their children and by ensuring that children do not take on excessive or inappropriate caring roles in their family.

National programme for improving mental health and well-being: small research projects initiative 2005-06 - Mellow Babies

The Mellow Babies intervention was designed to develop close attunement between the mother and the child using a combination of baby-massage, interaction coaching and infant focused speech.

A waiting-list-controlled evaluation of the Mellow Babies intervention is described.

The objectives were to measure change in maternal depressive symptoms and the quality of interaction between mothers and babies. Recruitment was less than had been hoped, but for those mothers who completed the group, feedback from referrers and participants was positive.

Experiences of the early implementation of the Mental health (care and treatment) (Scotland) act 2003: a cohort study

This research study, commissioned by the Scottish Government Health Directorate, has evaluated the experience and perspectives of those with direct experience of, as well as those working with, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 (MHCT Act). A team of independent researchers including 8 mental health service users undertook the study, which lasted 2 years from September 2006.

Risks and Protective Factors : Older People's Mental Health

This learning object explores mental health in later life. It reviews the meaning of mental health, why it is an important part of overall well being and how it relates to successful ageing. It also offers an overview of the different aspects of an older person's life, situations that impact on their mental health and the role that an individual, their family, the community they live in and wider society can play in promoting, or undermining, mental health.