MENTAL HEALTH ROUND-UP

DoH seeks views on mental health nursing

The Department of Health has launched a consultation on the chief nursing officer's review of mental health nursing.

The consultation looks at core values and roles, providing holistic care, ensuring quality and meeting diverse needs.

These revolve around the review's central question: 'How can mental health nursing best contribute to the care of service users in the future?' A list of questions and examples of existing best practice are available as part of the consultation.

Issues include overcoming social exclusion, improving physical healthcare, addressing substance misuse, developing nursing in inpatient settings and improving recruitment and retention. Reponses should be sent to cnomhreview@dh. gsi.gov. uk. The deadline is 21 October.

www. dh. gov. uk/ consultations

Foundation offers£300,000 for care and promotion

The Mental Health Foundation has launched a grant programme to fund research into the care and treatment of mental illness and mental health promotion.

The two-year,£300,000 programme will be available to individuals, not-for-profit organisations and others working in and around the mental health research field, including service users.

Applications for a grant should include details of innovations, issues around parenting and child and adolescent mental health, and transitions through the lifespan of service users.

'With these grants we will gain new perspectives from those on ground level, ' says MHF grants manager Rowan Myron.

'We will benefit from the expertise of others and combine that with our strengths to influence policy, raise awareness and help tackle the stigma attached to mental health.'

www. mentalhealth.org. uk

Posters offer helpline on depression Mind, the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health and the Royal College of GPs have produced a poster to help people with depression and anxiety.

Designed to be displayed in GP surgeries in England and Wales, the poster aims to inform patients of a wide range of options for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Areas covered in the campaign include medication, exercise programmes, support groups, and encouraging patients to work with their GP in choosing the best treatment for their needs.

Copies have been sent to primary care trusts mental health leads.

'The poster encourages the public to talk to their GPs about their worries over what a diagnosis of anxiety or depression might mean, ' Dr Alan Cohen, chair of the NCCPC's anxiety guideline development group and member of the RCGP mental health task group.

The collaboration follows the publication last December of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines on treatment and care for people with depression and anxiety.

www. mind. org. uk/nice