- Conference
- 2005 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 20 December 2004
- Decision
- Carried
This conference wishes to express its extreme concern over the way in which mental health nurse training is currently organised.
In many parts of the country student mental health nurses have to go through a core foundation year. This leaves them only two years to develop the skills and gain the experience and confidence they will need to eventually work as a registered nurse.
Many emerge from the training with concerns over their own ability to work in the often challenging settings that mental health staff work in. It is a testament to their sense of commitment that they actually remain within this field of care. It is worrying to note, however, that the drop out rate is now one in five amongst mental health student nurses.
Conference therefore calls on the Health Group to put pressure on the Department of Health to urgently review mental health nurse training.
We are convinced that this review would show that we need to return to a stand alone, three year course for mental health nursing. We are already facing a severe shortage of mental health nurses in some parts of the country. If we do not act quickly this will turn into a crisis that will take years to put right.