Another Mental Health Awareness Week is almost over – its importance given added resonance by the way the coronavirus pandemic has affected the physical and mental wellbeing of each and every one of us.
Of course, supporting people to maintain good mental health is a continuous and collaborative effort. Our colleague Mark Trewin, the Mental Health Social Work lead in the Chief Social Workers for Adults’ office here at the Department of Health and Social Care has been proving the truth of this statement.
He’s been working with Health Education England, Skills for Care and the Social Work for Better Mental Health programme to create a series of films to promote awareness and understanding of the crucial role mental health social workers play in health and care systems.
These films will be complemented by a range of development guidance and support for integrated mental health providers to support the role of social work.
This film includes a variety of voices from different areas of social work, including community work, approved mental health professionals, open dialogue and family group conferencing approaches.
It also highlights the social work consultant role how people who use services, families and other professionals benefit from their contribution across the health and care sector – including the NHS and independent sector.
Expanding and enhancing the role of the mental health social worker
In another film, Mark, in his capacity as HEE Chair of the New Roles Implementation Group for Social Work, describes the important role mental health social workers and Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) play in services.
Working across the NHS, local authorities, voluntary and independent sectors, these roles ensure that the social model of mental health is at the core of our integrated services.
The new roles work of Mark’s group focuses on expanding and enhancing the role of the mental health social worker, and providing support and guidance to NHS and other organisations on how best to recruit, retain and develop this key workforce.
Find out more
You can see the work of the group and more information about MH social workers and AMHPs by clicking these links:
1 comment
Comment by LEP posted on
Please can some note be taken of the very poor training opportunities available to NHS-employed social workers, in comparison to those available to local authority employees who are social workers. E.G. AMHP training is not funded by the NHS so those of us paid by NHS cannot get funding. BIA training, etc.
This is an anomaly which seems to be always beneath the radar - despite articles such as the above.