Mental Health guidelines
We are writing guidelines to encourage the development of integrated health in NHS mental health services. They are aimed at health professionals, service providers, purchasers and policy makers. We hope to offer the inspiration, understanding and practical tools they need to transform outcomes for users of mental health services.
The guidelines look at therapeutic methods that could be integrated into mental health services to support recovery from acute, chronic and/or severe mental health problems and to generate self-help and long-term well-being.
An integrated approach means bringing together mainstream medical science with the best of other traditions. The guidelines will cover a number of issues including nutritional therapy, movement including exercise, yoga, tai chi/qi gong, acupuncture, reflexology, aromatherapy and massage.
The guidelines will also set out the governance infrastructure for bringing these therapies into NHS mental health services and will provide a guide to service development. Good practice and case studies will be included. A literature review will set out the evidence base.
The Foundation’s partners in this project are the Mental Health Foundation, Mind and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Funding is from the Department of Health and Lloyds TSB.
The first draft chapter will be on movement (including exercise therapy and yoga). As they are completed, chapters will appear on this site for comment.
