'No health without mental health': where are we now?

Mental health services are under unprecedented pressure with overwhelming referrals and a current waiting list of 1.2 million people of all ages. The cross-government White Paper 'No health without mental health' was launched 12 years ago detailing the importance of wellbeing services in the creation of mentally healthy communities through health promotion and illness prevention. While primary care, community services and psychiatry are pivotal in the treatment of mental Illness/disorder, mental health care per se is on a continuum, and a great deal of work can be undertaken in communities by wellbeing services to prevent avoidable referrals. This paper proposes a broad framework of education and training for wellbeing/positive mental health services, primary and community care, and nurses working in Community Mental Health Treatment Teams and Home Treatment Teams to ensure all those working with potentially vulnerable adults and children are regulated and meet national standards for mandatory mental health education and training.

Getting anticipatory prescribing right in end-of-life care.

There is a growing number of people who need access to high-quality endof-life care in the home setting. This requires timely assessments of needs, ensuring good symptom management and recognising the roles undertaken by carers. For some patients, a range of medications may need to be put in place to relieve end-of-life symptoms, using 'anticipatory prescribing'. District nurses must ensure that they acknowledge the patient's voiced preferences and be mindful of the safety issues that arise with the supply of controlled drugs in the home. This article highlights the challenges faced by district nurses providing or dealing with anticipatory prescribing during end-of-life care.

An innovative strategy to increase a professional workforce: the fast track initiative for health visitors in England.

OBJECTIVES: Fast tracking is one strategy that organizations use to ameliorate workforce shortfalls by attracting new recruits, and accelerating their skills development and experience. In response to the Government's target of rapidly expanding the number of health visitors in England's National Health Service, the fast track initiative was launched to recruit newly qualified (fast track) as well as experienced (standard entry) nurses and midwives onto health visiting programmes. This paper evaluates the fast track initiative, from the perspective of fast track and standard entry students, practice teachers and health visitor managers. METHODS: A mixed methods design was used comprising a questionnaire survey (n = 71 students), semi-structured interviews (n = 37 students), telephone interviews (n = 13 managers) and six focus groups (n = 24 practice teachers). Data were collected between April 2012 and July 2013. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and the Pearson Chi-square test were used to analyse the quantitative data. The qualitative data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Motivations for health visiting as a career choice were similar for fast track and standard entry students, with career progression and interest in health promotion being key motivators. There was consensus that personal qualities and characteristics were more important than experience or qualifications. However, fast track students were significantly less confident about their public health competencies in leadership and management (p < 0.05) and communication (p < 0.02). Practice teachers and managers also reported that fast track students required more intensive supervision particularly at the beginning of the programme. Programme completion including pass rates and academic achievement showed no significant difference by route of entry (p > 0.5). CONCLUSION: Fast tracking offers a useful recruitment strategy in order to expand the health visitor workforce, but longitudinal research is needed to confirm benefits such as retention and career trajectories.

Nurses' health behaviours and physical activity-related health-promotion practices.

Many registered nurses (RNs) are not achieving the recommended daily levels of physical activity. This study collected data from 623 RNs about their personal health behaviours and their professional, physical activity-related health-promotion practices. The findings showed that 75% of the sample reported engaging in personal physical activity, 25% were at risk of hazardous drinking or active alcohol use disorders, 17% were past smokers and 11% were current smokers, 47% reported having a normal body weight-size, and 73% desired to be a normal body weight-size. Nearly half of the sample reported that they were promoting physical activity within their clinical practice. Personal physical activity behaviour, perceived health status, length of clinical practice, clinical specialty, and actual body weight-size were significantly related to the RNs' professional, physical activity-related practices. This study highlights a need for training on physical activity-related counselling, including awareness of the latest recommendations and strategies to promote physical activity. Health-care employers should also consider addressing nurses' barriers to the promotion of physical activity within their clinical practice so that all health-care contacts are able to maximise opportunities to promote active ageing.