Mental health five-year plan is launched at Magee

"Delivering Excellence Supporting Recovery: A Professional Framework for Mental Health Nurses in Northern Ireland (2011 – 2016)” is the first strategic framework to be published for mental health nurses in Northern Ireland.

Martin Bradley the Chief Nursing Officer in Northern Ireland launched the new framework in the Magee campus at the seventh annual mental health conference.

Mr Bradley addressing the conference said: "This framework sets out the focus and priorities for mental health nursing over the next five years and provides a structure to ensure that safety, quality and patient and client experience are at the heart of nursing care, delivered to service users, their carers and families.

"We are all aware of the challenges and pressures that lie ahead within the mental health services. The pace of change will be great and new ways of working will be required.

“Mental health nurses and support staff are key to achieving our intended vision and aspirations within mental health services," Mr Bradley said.

Local, national, and international consultation have all been considered in compiling the new framework.

The new framework aims to identify and deal with the wide ranging issues affecting mental health nursing.

It is hoped it will complement a recently published framework on nursing and midwifery.

It will also attempt to combat weaknesses along with identifying what, patients nurses and carers want from the mental health services.

Mental health nurses account for seventy percent of the mental health services workforce.