The NSF for mental health from a transcultural perspective

Abstract

Since 1997, the new Labour Government has taken steps to revitalize the NHS in an attempt to ensure a safe, sound and supportive service for all of its customers. The drive towards an efficient and productive system of health care has been echoed through policy directives with operational strategies, as evident in various Department of Health (DoH) publications, including the NHS Plan (DoH, 2000). The National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health (DoH, 1999a) sets out a broad vision for the future, a vision where principles of care, quality and standard of services for the mentally ill are optimized. However, this vision is short of ideas which implicitly address issues directly related to the mental health needs of minority ethnic groups. As an area which is already exposed to severe criticism, this article seeks to adopt a ‘transcultural’ perspective on the NSF, exploring issues deemed necessary for the success of the NSF in meeting the needs of ethnic minorities. An initial examination of current problems sets the scene for future direction where principles of partnership in care, antioppressive practice, transcultural nursing, and education and training are seen as imperatives which need exploration. The author argues that it is imperative that these principles are fully examined and implemented into practice, to ensure a service based on quality standards and equity principles. For nurses it means the development and learning of new working principles and skills.