title: The 4th quinquennial national community mental health nursing census of England and Wales.
abstract: Since 1980, a survey of community mental health nursing has been conducted in the United Kingdom, at five-yearly intervals. These three data sets have been uniquely useful in plotting trends in Community Mental Health Nursing (CMHN) activity over time. Substantial administrative changes to the National Health Service have taken place in England and Wales since 1990, however, and these have impacted on the nature of mental health service provision. These changes have implications for all mental health service personnel and, in particular, the work of community mental health nurses. This article presents selected findings from the national census, conducted between 1996 and 1997. It sets these findings within the context of data derived from the three previous national studies in the series and within the contemporary national policy context and discusses the substantive implications which flow from the changes detected over time in the practice, organisation and management, and education of community mental health nurses in England and Wales.
authors.affiliation: Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom. e.g.white@keele.ac.uk
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D004739:England; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales