NMHDU Public Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme 2009-2011

The National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) operated between April 2009 and March 2011 as the agency charged with supporting the implementation of mental health policy in England by the Department of Health in collaboration with the NHS, Local Authorities and other major stakeholders.

NMHDU's programme of work from 2009-2011 on public mental health and wellbeing, including a programme of work on suicide prevention, was commissioned by the Department of Health and funded through Government programme funds.

All programme resources and products have been produced to support national and local implementation of public health and mental health policy.

With the Government's White Paper for Public Health ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People' launched for consultation in November 2010 and the new Mental Health strategy ‘No Health Without Mental Health' launched in February 2011 and a new national suicide prevention strategy due to be launched in May 2011, the resources produced by NMHDU are aimed at helping assist the implementation of these important policies and strategies in support of achieving key public health, NHS and social care outcomes.

Key local audiences for NMHDU's work comprise the NHS, Local Government, Public Health agencies, developing GP Commissioning Consortia and the emerging Local Health and Wellbeing Boards, alongside voluntary and community organisations, academic institutions, business and private sector agencies.

Key national audiences include those Department's, agencies, organisations and representative bodies engaged in developing and supporting improved public health and health improvement outcomes and in supporting the transition towards the NHS Commissioning Board and Public Health England.

Key Published Resources and Products

Suicide prevention resources are available on the nmhdu site.

www.suicideprevention.org.uk

Policy Commitments

A series of Policy Commitments are outlined in the new Mental Health Strategy ‘No Health Without Mental Health' (Feb 2011) on public mental health and wellbeing. These include:

• ensuring mental health is high on the Government's agenda, by asking the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Public Health to oversee the implementation of the mental health strategy at national level;
• making mental health a key priority for Public Health England, the new national public health service, and why, at a local level, the new Health and Wellbeing Boards, and Directors of Public Health will want to treat mental health as a priority;
• agreeing and using new national measure of wellbeing;
• prioritising early intervention across all ages;
• taking a life course approach, with objectives to improve outcomes for people of all ages;
• tackling health inequalities;
• publishing a series of reviews of evidence on improving public mental health;
• publishing a new cross-Government suicide prevention strategy this year.

The NMHDU work programme has worked in support of achieving these commitments (and others) and for establishing a sound basis for ongoing future work in each of the above areas with key national and local partners.

NMHDU Achievements

The programme has been in existence for two years 2009-2011, and as an example of some of its work has helped achieve the following:

• Established a national profile and reputation in the field of wellbeing and public mental health.
• Contributed to the development of both national public health and mental health policy development.
• Established good relationships with key policy colleagues in the Department of Health and Other Government Departments.
• Contributed to the development of key resource materials on the evidence base for public mental health.
• Led the initial development of a new national suicide prevention strategy and maintained collaboration with key agencies, organisations and experts involved in suicide prevention.
• Developed and commissioned a range of national products and resources in collaboration with a range of national stakeholders.
• Established and supported a number of key networks and learning opportunities.
• Held a ‘national summit' on public mental health and wellbeing (December 2010). Involving key national agencies and local nhs, primary care, local government, voluntary sector and academic representatives.
• Carried out local leadership survey, focus groups and seminars to gain intelligence about the local development and implementation of mental health and wellbeing in PCTs, Local Government, Public Health and Primary Care.
• Commissioned and supported a successful national capacity building programme in Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment.
• Developed with Warwick University the first accredited University based public mental health programme.
• Organised and contributed to a range of national, regional and local events.
• Published key briefing materials including Briefing on Public Health White Paper and Public Health Outcomes Framework.
• Contributed to national work on measuring wellbeing.
• Carried out joint work with and contributed to other NMHDU programmes. In particular Commissioning, Personalisation, IAPT and Equalities.
• Reported to National Public Mental Health Steering Group chaired by National Clinical Director.
• Developed a set of web based resources, web pages, email bulletins and key links through nmhdu website.

The above work has helped to build a profile and presence for wellbeing and public mental health both in policy and in local delivery and implementation. The engagement of key stakeholders, partner agencies, experts, academics, policy makers and independent ‘thinking and doing' organisations has been a crucial component of this work programme and its achievements.

Key Published Resources

‘The role of Local Government in promoting Wellbeing' (2010) with Local Government Improvement and Development. http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=23692693

‘Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment' (2010) with the National MWIA collaborative.

http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/news/new-edition-of-the-mental-wellbeing-impact-assessment-toolkit/

‘Mental Wellbeing Checklist' for Local Commissioners (2010)

http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/silo/files/mental-wellbeing-checklist-a3.pdf

‘Leadership Briefing and Toolkit Guide for commissioning for wellbeing and public mental health' With UCLAN. (2010)

http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/news/commissioning-wellbeing-for-all-a-toolkit-for-commissioners/

‘Improving Wellbeing through healthy Life Choices' with IAPT National Team. (March 2011) http://www.nmhdu.org.uk/news/improving-wellbeing-through-healthy-life-choices/

‘Public Mental Health and Wellbeing - the local perspective' Local Leaders views - NHS Confederation in partnership with NMHDU (March 2011)

www.nmhdu.org.uk/news/public-mental-health-and-wellbeing-the-local-perspective/

In Production

Arrangements are in hand for these products below to be completed, published and disseminated through partner ‘host' agencies after 31 March 2011.

‘Five Ways to Wellbeing' - national scoping of the ways in which the five ways to wellbeing have been used across England and the lessons learned. Final report and framework to be produced by the New Economics Foundation and NHS Confederation. (Publication and dissemination in May 2011).

‘Ways to Wellbeing' with New Economics Foundation. Work supported by BIS and DH Mental Health Directorate. (Final report by July 2011). DH Mental Health Directorate with BIS to agree final report for publication by nef.

‘Big Society and Mental Health' publication of a thought piece on what the big society can mean for mental health. NHS Confederation and Social Spider. NHS Confederation to oversee production of the final report in summer 2011.

‘Mental Health, Resilience and Inequalities: a framework for local action' With NHS Confederation and WHO Europe. (Final product by July/ August 2011). NHS Confederation to oversee final report and publication with WHO Europe.

MWIA final revised toolkit to be published in April 2011. Mental Wellbeing Impact Assessment National Collaborative to continue to disseminate work and be national focal point for MWIA. Contact Collaborative Chair Jude Stansfield on jude.stansfield@gmail.com

Public Mental Health Evidence Reviews. A number of reviews of evidence are to be published by the end of April by DH Mental Health Directorate. NMHDU has been supporting the production of these reviews and as part of this is supporting the final editing process. These will be published on the Department of Health website.

NMHDU Wellbeing and Public Mental Health Team 2009-2011

Gregor Henderson, Programme Lead (Part time)
Jude Stansfield, Programme Specialist (Seconded one day per week)
Kate O'Hara, Programme Specialist (Seconded two days per week)
Catherine Reynolds, Programme Specialist (Seconded two days per week)
Dr Jonathan Campion, Evidence Specialist (Seconded two days per week)
Keith Foster, Suicide Prevention Programme Specialist (Two days per week)
Dr Michael Clark, Research and Practice Adviser (Two days per month)
Katy Davies, Programme Administrator (NMHDU Central Team)

With thanks to all those agencies, organisations and individuals that have contributed to and taken part in the activities of the programme over the last two years.

NMHDU 31 March 2011

The National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) is the agency charged with supporting the implementation of mental health policy in England by the Department of Health in collaboration with the NHS, Local Authorities and other major stakeholders.