Annie Altschul's legacy to 20th century British mental health nursing

Being knowledgeable about, learning from and building upon one's history is the hallmark of an enlightened and progressive profession. This includes an appreciation of the work of those who contributed to moulding the profession into what it currently is. Mental health nursing has not distinguished itself by respect for its former leaders. In this paper, the life and times of one of the most outstanding mental health nurses of the century, Professor Annie Altschul, are recalled and examined. She sought constantly to establish what should be the essence of mental health nursing and what its role should be in the alleviation of human suffering. As an outsider herself, she identified strongly with those marginalized by society. Always a spokesperson for the centrality of nursing in patient care, she saw nurses as those best placed to provide holistic care to patients whilst other professionals specialized in their biomedical, social and financial needs. Long after her retirement, Altschul remains active in supervising and examining postgraduate nursing students. She is still a voice in the mental health debate, someone whose opinions are sought and valued.