Social psychiatry and social policy for the twenty‐first century – new concepts for new needs: relational health
| Published date | 23 May 2011 |
| Pages | 57-65 |
| Date | 23 May 2011 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301111140895 |
| Author | Robin Johnson,Rex Haigh |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Policy
Social psychiatry and social policy for the
twenty-first century – new concepts for
new needs: relational health
Robin Johnson and Rex Haigh
Abstract
Purpose – This final article in the series of three identifies and illustrates the links between the ‘ ‘enabling
environment’’ approach and contemporary social policy themes such as relational health, public health,
social inclusion; and the ‘‘Big Society’’.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with an example of the standards-based
approach in practice. It then indicates other areas where this approach is currently being explored.
Finally it summarises recent contemporary policy frameworks for which the EE approach, it is
suggested, supplies both a shared vocabulary and a practical, evidence-able agenda.
Findings – There is growing recognition of the need for a ‘‘sea change’’ away from a simple clinical
interventions framework for community mental health and addressing health inequalities. There areclear
linkages in this new approach with past and emerging policy frameworks in public health and corporate
social responsibility, including the need for more ‘‘bottom up’ ’ solutions with local ownership.
Originality/value – This series of three papers is the first introduction to psychologically informed
environments and the enabling environment approach to be made available to the general and
specialist public.
Keywords Enabling environment, Psychologically informed environment, Public health,
Relational health, Big Society, Corporate social responsibility, Social inclusion
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
What do we mean by community mental health? Is it simply standard mental healthcare –
medication, counselling, etc. – just delivered not in hospitals but rather in clinics, care
homes, or domiciliary visits to the patient’s own home? Is it essentially the post-war
programme of de-institutionalisation and ‘‘care in the community’ ’ (Griffiths, 1988; HM
Government, 2011)?
Or is it more a matter of working with other community agencies to maintain vulnerable
individuals in an ordinary life, a home and a job? Is it about the encouragement to
inter-agency partnership work with housing, leisure services and faith communities, and a
wide variety of institutions and agencies that make up ‘‘the community’ ’? Is this a
continuation of the social exclusion approach (Social Exclusion Unit, 2004), TotalPlace (HM
Treasury, 2010), community budgets (Communities and Local Government (CLG), 2010a)?
Or is it more radical still, and concerned with the mental health of the community as a whole,
an aspect of public health, intended to encourage a more enlightened, less stressed and
DOI 10.1108/20428301111140895 VOL. 15 NO. 2 2011, pp. 57-65, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAGE 57
Robin Johnson works at
RJA Consultancy,
Nottingham, UK.
Rex Haigh is a Consultant
Psychotherapist, based in
Mortimer, UK.
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