Developing Capacity in Mental Health Services
| Published date | 01 June 2003 |
| Pages | 8-12 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/13619322200300013 |
| Date | 01 June 2003 |
| Author | Melba Wilson |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Developing Capacity in Mental
Health Services
Melba Wilson
Chairman
Wandworth Primary Care Trust
Co-Director, CMHSDE
Focus on…
Introduction
The human resources strategy for the NHS sets out a
managed programme for a rapid expansion in the NHS
workforce, the introduction of more flexible ways of
working and an improvement in the working lives of staff
(NHS Information Authority, 2002).
The Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006 is
specific about the Government’s expectations for the NHS
in delivering its priorities (Department of Health, 2002a).
With regard to the NHS workforce, the guidance
emphasises that delivery of the human resources strategy
‘is absolutely central to the achievement of NHS Plan
priorities’. The framework is also clear about the national
capacity requirements for a 21st century NHS workforce.
These include:
■employing 35,000 more nurses in 2006 than in 2001
■employing 15,000 more doctors in 2008 than in 2001
■employing 30,000 more therapists and scientists
in 2008 than in 2001
■employing 27,000 more healthcare assistants in
2005 than in 2002
■expanding the mental health workforce by 2004
with 1,000 graduate workers in primary care, 500
‘gateway’ workers, 700 carer/support staff, 300
prison in-reach staff and 400 staff to support
secure step-down
■expanding the mental health workforce by 2006
with 3,000 extra prison in-reach staff, 500
community development workers for black and
minority ethnic communities, six outreach teams for
personality disorder, and training 3,000 STaR
workers
■increasing productivity through skill mix and
continuing professional development, moving
work from doctors to other health care
professionals and from them to support workers,
modernising pay and redesigning services.
Primary care trusts will be judged on the basis of our
performance with this enormous pace of change,
which also includes delivering on NHS priorities in
the NHS Plan and the National Service Frameworks
(Department of Health, 2000 & 1999a). The stakes,
however, are high. Health secretary Alan Milburn told
an NHS Alliance conference in 2002 that it was ‘make
or break time’ for the NHS to radically reform, and
primary care trusts were a key component in
delivering the national targets.
This contrasts with a sounding taken by NHS chief
executive Nigel Crisp (2002) which noted that
included among the 10 most common themes raised
by chief executives of NHS trusts was ‘the demands
of tackling today’s financial and workforce pressures –
[with a recognition that] building capacity at the pace
needed was essential, but daunting’.
What this means on the ground, especially for
those of us in primary care trusts, is that a) we need to
be clear about our roles and remit in order to deliver
health care that reduces health inequalities and
improves the health of local populations and b) to
deliver it we must develop new skills mixes and
competencies within the workforce.
Like many inner London primary care trusts,
Wandsworth PCT is faced with meeting these
challenges in terms of:
■developing management capacity
8The Mental Health Review Volume 8 Issue 2 June 2003 ©Pavilion Publishing (Brighton) 2003
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