The review and revision of ‘Standards of practice for mental health nurses in Australia’

Abstract

In recent years, there has been growing concern for the wellbeing of people affected by mental illness and the recipients of mental health care in Australia. Despite significant positive change there is always room for improvement and one means of introducing and monitoring improvement is through the use of service provision standards. National and international reviews of mental health care highlight the need for responsive service delivery that meets the needs of all people affected by mental illness regardless of their place in the systems of care. The development of documents such as the National Standards for Mental Health Services by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (Australian Health Minister's Advisory Council 1996) maintained the impetus towards the development of quality measurement tools for mental health service provision. Given the magnitude of change in the area of mental health care over the past decade and the major role that mental health nurses play in the delivery of mental health care it is considered a priority to ensure that this professional group is supported by relevant and appropriate standards for practice.