RCN Wales calls on Welsh government to invest in mental health nursing to protect patients

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales has today (3 May) published ‘Mental Health Nursing: A profession that must be valued’, a report calling for financial investment to enhance the mental health nursing workforce, the physical estates, and service provision.

Jenifer French, RCN Wales Mental Health and Learning Disability Nurse Adviser, said:

“Recently, the Welsh government has been very focused on prevention and early intervention, which I’m sure has had a tremendous impact for many. However, those experiencing severe and enduring mental illness have been left behind.

“A lack of financial investment in inpatient services and stigma remains around severe and enduring mental ill-health, which has contributed to inequalities within mental health provision. This needs to change.

“Mental health nursing is an extremely diverse role that delivers holistic and value-based care for individuals, their families, and carers of all age groups and in a variety of settings.

“Mental health nurses have a unique set of skills to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society. Mental health nurses provide life-saving clinical care and can help an individual change their life.

“The Welsh government needs to recognise the value of mental health nurses for protecting patient safety.”

Dominic Smith, third year mental health student nurse, said:

“I’ve always been interested in mental health, have family who live with alcoholism, autism, schizophrenia, emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), and I have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I wanted to use these experiences to support those that suffer by providing tools to improve quality of life outcomes.

“The need for mental health nurses was apparent in my community and the development of the field is vital to battle the ever-increasing need for mental health services in Wales.”

Alun Thomas, Chief Executive of Adferiad Recover, said:

“This excellent paper reminds us that mental health nursing is a highly skilled, much needed role within the broader health and social care landscape.

“Mental health nursing remains under significant pressure. There are increasing demands on expanding the role of nurses and often this is without recognition that we are removing some of our most experienced and capable nurses from direct care.

“There must be an increase in pre-registration places in our schools of nursing, though this alone will not address the longer-term issues of nurses leaving the profession.

“Mental health nurses must feel that they are able to deliver the quality care they came into the profession to do, and we should include the nursing role in all our workforce planning across the health and social care sector, rather than see nursing as a separate function”.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Read the report: Mental Health Nursing: A profession that must be valued www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications/Mental-health-nursing-English-uk-pub-010-913  

The Welsh summary is available online. www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications/Mental-health-nursing-Welsh-summary-uk-pub-010-914

Adferiad Recovery

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interests of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations. 

For more information, contact the RCN Wales press office at 02920 680 769 or email mediawales@rcn.org.uk