Severe Mental Health and Substance Use: Developing Integrated Services – a UK Perspective

Abstract

In the UK, there is an emergence of substantial central guidance on how to meet the needs of the individual experiencing severe mental health and substance use problems. In the UK, 2002, the Department of Health developed a number of good practice guides in an attempt to improve the care of those with mental health problems and to aide implementation of innovations in mental health treatment as part of the National Service Framework. In 2006, mental health–substance use problems were identified as a significant issue related to increased psychiatric hospital admissions, and negatively impacting on treatment during in–patient stays. In the UK, improving the skills and expertise of the professional to work in an integrated manner, and address problematic substance use in the individual who experiences mental health–substance use problems, has been flagged as a major objective to improve outcomes in both community and inpatient mental health services.