Brave New World
| Date | 01 March 2004 |
| Pages | 28-31 |
| Published date | 01 March 2004 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/13619322200400008 |
| Author | Karen Newbigging,Hilary Rowland |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Brave New World
Karen Newbigging
Director of Mental Health, HASCAS
Hilary Rowland
Chief Executive, HASCAS
Extra Curriculum
Introduction
The advent of NIMHE and the creation of regional
development centres reflected an acceptance that local
organisations might need support in the translation of
policy into practice. This followed on the heels of the
recognition that developing and disseminating policy
does not guarantee its implementation: witness the
experience in relation to the Care Programme
Approach. This acceptance of the need for
development support at a local level implied a rethink
of the strategic direction for organisations with an
established track record in this type of endeavour.
Both the Centre for Mental Health Services
Development (CMHSD) and the Health Advisory
Service (HAS) faced this challenge. This paper
provides a brief overview of the distinct histories of
the two organisations, the rationale for their recent
merger and the strategic direction of the new
organisation.
Background
The Centre for Mental Health Services Development
was established in the early nineties and for 11 years
was led by Dr Edward Peck. Based at King’s College
London, latterly it formed part of the Institute for
Applied Health and Social Policy. It provided high
quality service review, service development, team
development, organisational consultancy and
leadership development in mental health. CMHSD
also undertook research and service evaluation and
organised events, including hosting an annual congress
for practitioners and managers. This publication, the
Mental Health Review, was also launched by CMHSD
as a vehicle for disseminating the latest developments
in the mental health field in an accessible form. In
1996 CMHSD, in response to the need for national
coverage of development support, founded the
Scottish Development Centre. CMHSD in Wales,
based at the University of Glamorgan, was established
a year later. Then in 1999 CMHSD secured a grant
from the North West Regional Office of the NHS to
set up a regional development centre which
subsequently formed the basis for the new regional
development centre of the National Institute for
Mental Health (NIMHE). Without a doubt CMHSD
has been influential in policy development and in
shaping the development of a national infrastructure
for developmental activity.
The origins of the Health Advisory Service (HAS)
date back to the late 1960s following concerns
regarding the quality of care in some of the large
psychiatric hospitals and those caring for older people.
Richard Crossman, secretary of state for health and
social security, recorded in his diary that he could only
survive politically if, when announcing the outcome of
the inquiry into Ely Hospital, he also announced some
changes in policy including a central advisory service.
Thus the Hospital Advisory Service was established
with a remit to visit and inspect hospitals at the
request of the secretary of state. In 1976 the Hospital
Advisory Service was renamed the Health Advisory
Service and its remit extended to cover not only
hospital services but community health services and
the links between the two.
In 1997 HAS assumed its present form. It became
independent of the Department of Health and was
established as a not-for-profit company limited by
guarantee with charitable status. The founding
organisations were the Royal College of Psychiatrists,
the Royal College of Nursing, the Office of Public
Management and the British Geriatric Society. Its
primary purpose is to review mental health and older
people’s services at the request of organisations. The
primary methodology employed consists of reviews
against evidenced-based standards which were, and
continue to be, developed from the evidence in the
literature and consulting with a wide range of
professionals. The standards are then shared with the
clients to ensure that particular local circumstances are
28 The Mental Health Review Volume 9 Issue 1 March 2004 ©Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) 2004
J/205/01/04MHR9.1Marchinsides 3/3/04 10:33 am Page 28
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