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The National Service Framework for Mental Health (NSF) was published
by the Government in 1999 and is the blueprint for the development
of mental health services in the UK over the next 10 years. It places
great emphasis on the linking up of all statutory independent and
voluntary sector services to create a "seamless" service
coordinated across the various agencies with whom mental health
service users have contact . The involvement of service users in
every stage of the planning, commissioning and evaluation of new
services is vital to ensure that they are provided in a form that
actually meets the needs of those receiving them.
The NSF has seven "standards" or targets for service
development and these are listed below.
To see the whole Mental Health NSF or a summary of it click
here
As lead agencies, Health and Social Services are required to submit
plans detailing how and when they will meet the targets locally.
To see the Herefordshire NSF Plan click here
Standard one
Mental health promotion
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Health and Social Services should:
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promote mental health for all, working with individuals
and communities.
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combat discrimination against individuals and groups
with mental health problems, and promote their social
inclusion.
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Standard two
Primary care and access to services
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Any service user who contacts their primary health care team
with a common
mental health problem should:
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have their mental health needs identified and assessed.
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be offered effective treatments, including referral to
specialist.
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services for further assessment, treatment and care if
they require it.
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Any individual with a common mental health problem should:
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be able to make contact round the clock with the local
services. necessary to meet their needs and receive adequate
care.
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be able to use NHS Direct, as it develops, for first-level
advice. and referral on to specialist helplines or to
local services.
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Standard four
Effective services for people with severe mental illness
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All mental health service users on the Care Programme Approach
(CPA) should:
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receive care which optimises engagement , prevents or
anticipates crisis, and reduces risk.
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have a copy of a written care plan which:
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- includes the action to be taken in a crisis by service
users, their carers, and their care co-ordinators.
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- advises the GP how they should respond if the service
user needs additional help.
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- is regularly reviewed by the care co-ordinator.
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Each service user who is assessed as requiring a period of
care away from their home should have:
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- in the least restrictive environment consistent with
the need to protect them and the public
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- as close to home as possible
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a copy of a written after care plan agreed on discharge,
which sets out the care and rehabilitation to be provided
, identifies the care co-ordinator, and specifies the
action to be taken in a crisis.
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Standard six
Caring about carers
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All individuals who provide regular and substantial care
for a person on CPA should:
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have an assessment of their caring, physical and mental
health needs, repeated on at least an annual basis
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have their own written care plan, which is given to them
and implemented in discussion with them.
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Standard seven
Preventing suicide
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Local health and social care communities should prevent suicides
by:
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promoting mental health for all, working with individuals
and communities (Standard one)
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delivering high quality primary mental health care (Standard
two)
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ensuring that anyone with a mental health problem can
contact local services via the primary care team, a helpline
or an A&E department (Standard three)
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ensuring that individuals with severe and enduring mental
illness have a care plan which meets their specific needs,
including access to services round the clock (Standard
four)
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providing safe hospital accommodation for individuals
who need it (Standard five)
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enabling individuals caring for someone with severe mental
illness to receive the support which they need to continue
to care (Standard six).
and in addition:
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by supporting local prison staff in preventing suicides
among prisoners
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ensuring that staff are competent to assess the risk
of suicide among individuals at greatest risk
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developing local systems for suicide audit to learn lessons
and take any necessary action.
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