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Next steps: Strengthening the change process
It is clear from the submitted returns that services have responded positively to the action plan. There is considerable activity being carried out and progress is being made across all the priority areas identified in the plan. However, no one area is doing everything well and some are making more progress than others. The overall conclusion is that progress towards the objectives is variable.
That is an observation, not a criticism. It is recognised that services have not had long since the action plan was published to organise their response. That is why the plan has set a five-year timescale for achieving its objectives. However, it is already clear that we need to work together and support action local in order to step up the pace in the months and years ahead.
Key areas that require attention include:
- sharing good practice and practice development;
- leadership development
- Acute Care Forums/Networks
- prescribing;
- community referrals;
- piloting the regulation of support workers in mental health;
- benchmarking - this is needed to help measure change and demonstrate that that the delivery of plan's objectives produces service improvement and tangible benefits. This will feed into the work programmes around Delivering for Mental Health. We recognise that Boards will be at different levels but this work is to enable all Boards to get to the same level and should be viewed positively. .
Services are not being asked to achieve this on their own. Support is available centrally from both the Scottish Executive and the National Implementation Group as well as local Implementation Groups in each Board. It is essential that activity at a local level is well co-ordinated and linked in to the national support network to deliver the changes that are needed. That includes ensuring that every local implementation group are working well, with a nominated chair and producing minutes of meetings that can be made available to others. It includes holding events locally, regionally and nationally to build on the success that is already being achieved in some areas and learning the lessons from such developments. It also includes sharing successes and challenges with the national implementation group which can help provide solutions and assist local services in moving forward.
Individual NHS Boards will receive a further financial allocation in 2007/08 to support this work, which totals almost £300,000. Once again, the distribution will be based on the Arbuthnott formula. It is important that this money is spent in the most effective way possible to achieve the objectives of the delivery action plan. One encouraging development has been the amount of work undertaken on a regional basis in 2006/07 and we look forward to seeing that continue and strengthen in the coming years.
Joint working is also taking place at a national level. NES and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are working together to develop regional acute care learning and practice development networks. Equally, connections have been made between the mental health nursing review and the implementation process for Delivering for Mental Health. The Scottish Mental Health Nursing Forum continues to meet and is linked in to the National Implementation Group. This enables good cross fertilisation of ideas and practices and offers scope for development and collaboration.
Further support includes:
- Providing funding for NES to take forward work around recovery and education;
- supporting an annual event and a number of regional events to foster engagement at local level;
- continuing to offer participation in local events;
- developing communication tools to keep stakeholders informed of progress of the delivery plan;
- working with the Scottish Mental Health Nursing Forum on developing work around research in mental health, prescribing and older people;
- developing collaboration and support through the national programmes being set up to implement Delivering for Mental Health.
Change is never easy but it can be achieved if we work together and maximise our capacity, capability and energy to deliver the better outcomes we all want to see.
NATIONAL REVIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING IN SCOTLAND - Implementation Steering Group
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