Ten years of the National Service Framework for Mental Health (1999‐2009) ‐ achievements and challenges for the future
| Pages | 4-11 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17556228200900026 |
| Published date | 11 December 2009 |
| Date | 11 December 2009 |
| Author | Thurstine Basset,Barbara Evans |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
4The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Volume 4 Issue 4 December 2009 © Pier Professional Ltd
Ten years of the National Service
Framework for Mental Health
(1999–2009) – achievements and
challenges for the future
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to review some of
the key mental health education and training
developments of the last decade of immense
change to the service system in England. This
change was part and p arcel of the La bour
Governm ent’s mental heal th modernisat ion
agenda.
Key words
mental healt h p olicy; education an d t raining;
mental health workforce; new roles, New Ways
of Working; service user involvement; recovery;
social inclusion
Introduction
When the National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental
Health was published in 1999, it espoused the following
10 guiding values and principles to help shape decisions
on service delivery.
‘People with mental health problems can expect that
services will:
1. Involve service users and their carers in
planning and delivery of care
2. Deliver high quality treatment and care which is
known to be effective and acceptable
3. Be well suited to those who use them and non-
discriminatory
4. Be accessible so that help can be obtained when
and where it is needed
5. Promote their safety and that of their carers,
staff and the wider public
6. Offer choices which promote independence
7. Be well co-ordinated between all staff and
agencies
8. Deliver continuity of care for as long as this is
needed
9. Empower and support their staff
10. Be properly accountable to the public, service
users and carers.’
(Department of Health, 1999, p4)
Many pages later the document ends with the following
statement:
‘Finally, the National Service Framework recognises
the learning and development agenda – organisational,
professional and personal – and the need to build
capacity and capability, and to share good practice.
Regional support and national underpinning
programmes will support local implementation, as
mental health services tackle a demanding but exciting
agenda of change.’ (Department of Health, 1999,
p123)
Prior to the publishing of the NSF, Matt Muijen, then
Director of the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, had
already set out the challenges for education and training
earlier in the life of the ‘New Labour’ Government. In
considering the recommendations from a report on the
future roles and training of mental health staff (Sainsbury
Centre for Mental Health, 1997), he commented:
‘This is a large agenda and all organisations involved
in training and its accreditation understand the
challenges. The coming few years will show whether
Thurstine Basset
Training and Development Consultant, Basset Consultancy Ltd
Barbara Evans
Learning and Development Advisor (Mental Health), Hampshire County Council
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