Serious mental health problems: policy changes

Recent developments in services and strategies for helping people with serious mental health problems represent a watershed in mental health provision. This has implications not only for specialist mental health nursing, but also-- as increasing numbers of people with serious mental health problems live in the community-- for nurses working in all areas of health care, who will have to play a role in meeting their needs. This article describes current developments in policy and practice, and seeks to explain the basic principles of working with people in this client group.