A rationale for a clinical supervision database for mental health nursing in the UK

Clinical supervision (CS) is regarded as a valuable resource for mental health nursing. While there is considerable anecdotal reports of its implementation throughout the UK, these attempts are not without difficulty. A common tension reported in the literature relates to its provision being more akin to managerial supervision within a line-management hierarchy which jars with its original intention and spirit. This paper will provide a discussion on the implementation of CS in mental health nursing in the UK, beginning with its suggested importance for the discipline. Following on from this, the rationale for a CS database and description of one NHS Board's attempts at developing a resource, initially focusing on clinical supervisors of psychological therapies, will be presented.