Access to primary care services for homeless mentally ill people.
Modernisation of mental health services has been a government priority in recent years with new legislation, increased funding and investment and service reforms. The National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health defines national standards to meet the mental healthcare needs of adults up to the age of 65. This article considers standards two and three of the NSF regarding access to primary care services for people with a mental health problem. It discusses whether these standards consider homeless people, who continue to experience significant problems gaining equal access to health care.
Acorn Lodge Children's Inpatient Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Beckenham, Kent. Madeleine.Woollcott@slam.nhs.uk
Madeleine
M
Woollcott
D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D003688:Deinstitutionalization; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D024802:Nurse's Role; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration