Mental health Outcome Strategy For People Of All Ages
Social Policy can be widely defined as the government’s response to dealing with issues such as health, social services and education, all of which influence and affect everyone within the welfare state (Cullingham, 2007). Social Policies are relevant with in nursing as they provide direction to all associates of nursing; ensure that nursing concepts are implemented through out practice. They are also accountable for informing the public and all other health professionals about the accountability and social responsibilities of nursing and the holistic contribution of nursing to health care (American Nurses Association, 2011).
In 2011 The Department of Health published the report No Health Without Mental Health: A Cross-Governmental Mental Health Outcome Strategy For People Of All Ages (HM Government 2011) supporting the Government’s aim of achieving a balance between mental and physical health, with the view that an individual’s mental health is central to their quality of life (HM Government 2011). This strategy is relevant in Mental Health nursing today as The Office for National Statistics (2009) discovered that one in four people will experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem at some point in their life and one in six adults experience a mental health problem at any one time. From these statistics it is evident to see that mental health has a significantly large impact on the population as a whole and subsequently influences the health and quality of lives of many individuals. One of the main objectives of this strategy is to is to improve both the physical and mental health of those suffering with a mental illness, promoting recovering and providing support to not only themselves but also to their family and friends (Department of Health 2011).
The strategy represents individuals of all ages and has been very significant in
References: American Nurses Association (2011) Public Comment: Nursing’s Social Policy Statement [online]. Available at: http://www.nursingworld.org/HomepageCategory/NursingInsider/Archive _Public-Comment-Nursing-Social-Policy [Accessed 26 April 2011] BBC (2002) Q&A Mental health ‘sectioning’ [online]. London: BBC. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2204983.stm [Accessed11th May 2010] Cullingham, N HM Government (2010) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our strategy for public health in England. London: Department of Health HM Government (2011) No Health Without Mental Health: A Cross-Government Mental Health Outcomes Stratergy For People Of All Ages Mental Health Foundation (2011) Our Work [online]. Available at: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/ [Accessed 5th May 2011] Mental Health Foundation (2011) Statistics [online] National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) (2011) No Health without Mental Health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages [online] NHS (2010) Stroke [online] Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2009) Psychiatric Morbidity Report. London: ONS. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) (2003) Defining Nursing. Def. Nursing is… .London: RCN Time to Change (2011) Time to Change:Who are we? [online]