ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the impact of the separation of people by age within a mental health service. The National Service Frameworks (NSFs) were aimed at the ‘big’ healthcare issues, namely cancer, heart disease, mental health problems and diabetes, or where it was thought elements of society had significant health issues, such as older people and children. In 2001 the government launched the NSF for Older People, aimed at improving health and social care for all older people. The Mental Health standard in the NSF for older people focused on older people with depression and dementia as these were the largest sub-groups within the older population. The one area where performance indicators were established as a result of NSF Older People was in relation to integrated working within older people’s community mental health teams. Referrals to all members of the community mental health team can be made through a single point of access.
