Congratulations to RCN Mental Health Advisor Ian Hulatt for editing this new book, Mental health policy for nurses. This hits the shelves any day now, and I want to give it a plug via this post. Here is what the publisher is saying:
Policy determines much of what nurses actually do on a daily basis, which means it is essential for nurses to engage with policy if they are to understand their own practice. Mental health nursing in particular has been shaped by a variety of policy factors in the past fifty years. In this new textbook, edited by the mental health advisor to the Royal College of Nursing, a range of experts in their field introduce the essential elements of mental health policy to students and experienced practitioners. The book covers a broad range of areas, including settings for care and the historical context, policy affecting various diagnoses and service user groups, and how policy is translated into action. Clinical examples are drawn on throughout, to help students think about the real-life context of what can be a difficult subject.
It will be essential reading for pre-registration mental health nursing students, and valuable to those working in practice who want to gain an understanding of policy.
There are some nice-looking chapters here, as the contents list suggests:
The History of Mental Health Policy in the United Kingdom Peter Nolan
The European Context Neil Brimblecombe
Community Services Ben Hannigan
Psychosis Norman Young
Older People Elizabeth Collier and Catherine McQuarrie
Dementia Trevor Adams
Personality Disorder Karen M. Wright
Service User Involvement Mick McKeown and Fiona Jones
Equalities in Mental Health Nursing Ann Jackson
Child Mental Health Policy in the UK Tim McDougall
Dual Diagnosis Cheryl Kipping
Policy into Action? Cris Allen
I was pleased to have a chance to contribute, writing a chapter addressing past and present policy for mental health care in the community. I started with an account of historical developments, and worked my way towards an analysis of recent policy including changing roles for nurses and the impact of austerity.
Ben Hannigan's blog 