The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is ‘anxiety’. The ‘Just’ Anxiety?’ campaign aims to help people and organisations to understand the difference between anxiety and anxiety disorders and to confidently seek and signpost each other to the right support.
It is always positive to hear people talking openly about mental health and wellbeing, however this must not be at the cost of those who live with severe mental illness whose experience of anxiety is of such an extreme level that it becomes paralysing.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales agrees with Rethink Mental Illness that people seriously affected by mental illness are being left behind in the national conversation about mental health. Whilst mental health and wellbeing have become buzz words, used to cover a host of low-level emotional states, complex and severe mental illness is still stigmatised and discriminated against.
Earlier this month, RCN Wales published its report, Mental Health Nursing: A profession that must be valued, which calls on the Welsh government to increase financial investment to enhance the mental health nursing workforce, the physical estates, and service provision.
The report largely focuses on mental health nursing at a national level and details the unique role of the mental health nurse in protecting patient safety and caring for some of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society.
Recently, the Welsh government has been very focused on prevention and early intervention, which I’m sure has had a tremendous impact for many. However, those experiencing severe and enduring mental illness have been left behind.
A lack of financial investment in inpatient services and stigma remains around severe and enduring mental ill-health, which has contributed to inequalities within mental health provision. This needs to change.
Mental health nursing is an extremely diverse role that delivers holistic and value-based care for individuals, their families, and carers of all age groups and in a variety of settings.
Mental health nurses have a unique set of skills to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in society. Mental health nurses provide life-saving clinical care and can help an individual change their life.
The Welsh government needs to recognise the value of mental health nurses for protecting patient safety.
So during this Mental Health Awareness Week let’s not forget those who are most in need of mental health services and make sure the voices of our most vulnerable, neglected individuals are heard.
Read the report: Mental Health Nursing: A profession that must be valued www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications/Mental-health-nursing-English-uk-pub-010-913
The Welsh summary is available online www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/publications/Mental-health-nursing-Welsh-summary-uk-pub-010-914
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