UK Dept of Health Launches Its New Vision

 For Older People's Mental Health

United Kingdom

Medical News Today

  July 11, 2005

A new online publication outlining a vision of how health and social care services should work together to secure better services for older people was launched today by two Department of Health tsars.

Mental Health tsar Louis Appleby and Older People's tsar Ian Philp, have produced the publication, which marks the start of a new initiative in which their two divisions will join forces for the first time to influence change and improve services. The vision document is a precursor to a service development guide which will be launched by Care Services Minister Liam Byrne in autumn 2005.

As part of its commitment to improving services the DH:

- Has set up an older people's mental health programme board, chaired by Antony Sheehan, chair of care services, to ensure the successful delivery of the work programme

- Will extend the annual autumn mental health service mapping exercise to include older people's services

Professor Ian Philp, national clinical director for older people said: "This development will help improve the skill and competence of staff in mainstream settings in mental healthcare, spread excellence in mental health services for old age-related needs, and ensure access to services on the basis of need, irrespective of age".

Professor Louis Appleby, national clinical director for mental health, said: "Great strides have been made in improving mental health services and I want to ensure that older people benefit from that. I want services for older people to be as good as patients and their carers deserve."

The vision document has been tested extensively with stakeholders and is being well supported by the service.

Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern England said: "By highlighting the discriminatory regulations that blight older people's mental health, this report is taking a bold step forward. Older people's mental health has been a much-neglected area. The new vision will be crucial for helping to combat high levels of depression amongst older people and tackling endemic ageism in older people's mental health services."

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation says:

"The Mental Health Foundation supports the Department of Health's vision of combining forces across older people's services and mental health services to ensure that older people are no longer neglected. We hope that the implementation of this guidance will not only result in the provision of high quality services, but also demonstrate an understanding of older people's mental health needs. We welcome the emphasis placed on opening up intermediate care services to people requiring holistic rehabilitation following mental illness, and to those living with mental health problems."

Dick Frak, Rethink Director of Quality & Standards, said: "I very much welcome and support the vision for older people's mental health. I welcome especially the emphasis on skilling further those staff who come into ordinary contact with older people, so services become more attuned to what can be done early to secure better mental health."

  In the next 10 years, the population of over 65s will increase by 15%, and the population of over 85s by 27%. Dementia affects one person in 20 age over 65 years and one person in 5 over 80. Two thirds of NHS beds are occupied by people age 65 or over and up to two-thirds already have or will develop mental health problems.