Local Services

Providing the right kind of psychiatric services for those with mental health problems is vital and a lot of work is going on to see that services meet the needs of patients. However, this is only one half of the picture. Local authorities and health boards must also act to prevent Mental Illness:
Mental Illness refers to a diagnosable illness that significantly interferes with a person's ability to conduct the tasks needed for day-to-day living. This includes mental tasks, their emotional abilities, and those needed to interact with others. The more common mental illnesses are…
mental illness and to promote Mental Health Problems:
Mental Health Problems arise when a problem, life event or situation, disrupts the way we think and feel. This can either be temporary – for example, following a bereavement – or be more enduring. Mental health problems can include suffering stress, constant worrying…
mental health and Recovery:
Recovery from long-term mental health problems is about much more than the mere absence of symptoms. It is not about being fixed or back to normal. It is about having the chance to live a satisfying and fulfilling life, as defined by the individual, with or without symptoms.
recovery.

Raising awareness, increasing access to employment for those in recovery and helping to build community-based supports, such as self-help groups, are just some of the things that can promote positive mental health and recovery. Supporting local services to make these kinds of improvements is a priority area for the National Programme.

Strategies and Frameworks for Mental Health Services in Scotland:

Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland

Originally published in 1997, this document continues to grow and expand to reflect current thinking on the best way to provide mental health services in Scotland. Visit the Framework website at www.show.scot.nhs.uk/publications/mental_health_services

Framework for Children and Young People's Mental Health

The Framework is intended to be used by local agencies as a planning and audit tool, to identify goals and milestones for continuous improvement in the delivery of services and approaches to support and improve the mental health of children and young people in Scotland.

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Improving local services projects:

Doing Well by People With Depression

Run by the Centre for Change and Innovation (CCI), Doing Well covers a range of projects in areas across Scotland. All of the projects seek to improve services for people experiencing
Depression:
Not just a "bad mood", depression is all-pervasive, goes on for more than a few days and affects the day-to-day life of a person. Depression is the most common mental illness and is experienced by around one in six of the population at some time. Symptoms can include…
depression, from increasing access to community-based care to providing self-help resources such as the website Living Life to the Full.

Visit the Centre for Change and Innovation web pages at www.cci.scot.nhs.uk
Visit the Living Life to the Full website at www.livinglifetothefull.com

Fife job-retention pilot

NHS Fife is increasing employment support for people with mental health problems. The pilot project covers current employees of NHS Fife or Fife Council whose employment is at risk because of mental ill-health. Extra help is also being given to people who are out of work and applying for a job with Fife Council or NHS Fife but whose mental health issues are a barrier to employment. Contact NHS Fife.

Evidence into Practice Training

The Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health (SDC) and the Research Unit for Health Behaviour and Change are running a series of free workshops and seminars on gathering and using evidence of the need for and effectiveness of projects and services. For more information, visit our Evidence into Practice page.

NHS Lothian evaluation of European Alliance Against Depression model

The European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) provides a model for support and services for people with depression. NHS Lothian hopes to use the model and work is underway to evaluate its effectiveness. Contact EAAD.