Contributions from the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) to the National Mental Health Action Plan

Albert Bernard Janse Van Rensburg

doi:10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v19i4.501

Abstract

<p>The national Mental Health Action Plan (MHAP) flowed from the Ekurhuleni Declaration, adopted at the National Mental Health Summit (NMHS) in April 2012. The final draft of the MHAP included eight national objectives, with key activities which were believed to be ‘catalytic.’ These objectives include: district-based mental health service; institutional capacity; surveillance, research and innovation; infrastructure and capacity; mental health technology, equipment and medicines; inter-sectoral collaboration; human resources; and advocacy, mental health promotion and prevention of illness. A representative group of regional State Employed Special Interest Group (SESIG) delegates met during April 2013, to: operationalise the 12 South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP)/SESIG position statements of the previous year; review SASOP’s position statements in the context of the proposed national MHAP; and to identify SASOP’s role and responsibilities accordingly. This paper describes the contextual events in the drafting of the MHAP, as well as the appraisal of the MHAP during the 2013 SASOP/SESIG meeting, and SASOP’S envisaged role and responsibilities according to the national MHAP. </p>

Highlights

‘While there is no health without mental health, there is no complete mental health without psychiatry.’ – South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP)[1]
This paper describes events that have contributed to the recent drafting of a national Mental Health Action Plan (MHAP), as well as the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP’s) recent engagements with the MHAP
These events include: (i) the National Health Council (NHC’s) initiation of the development of a Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan;[2] (ii) new policy developments by the national Department of Health (DoH) informed by, among others things, consultation and data collected through the Mental Health and Poverty Project (MHaPP); and (iii) the NHC’s intention of hosting a National Mental Health Summit (NMHS)

Summary

Objective

A national education programme for mental health will be established, addressing knowledge about mental health and illness; stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness; and available services, including suicide help lines. ‘To facilitate the situation where psychiatrists are playing a central role, along with the other mental health disciplines, in the strategic and operational planning of mental health services at a local, provincial and national level This situation will allow for specific time frames, definitions of care at different levels, norms and standards of care, resources to be allocated, as well as the routine monitoring and auditing of mental healthcare programmes to be established in conjunction with psychiatrists on all levels.’[1]. A strong national SESIG Committee, consisting of regional SESIG representatives and chaired by the national SESIG convenor, will have to be developed This committee will be responsible for liaison with role players on a national level, e.g. the national DoH and South African Medical Association (SAMA), as well as the co-ordination of the regional implementation of the SASOP/SESIG action plans. Considering SASOP’s position statements in this manner, within the context of the proposed national MHAP, will position SASOP to fulfil its strategic national and regional role and responsibilities

4: Infrastructure and capacity of facilities

7: Human resources for mental health

Findings