ABSTRACT
Assisting patients to meet their fundamental hygiene needs has always been at the
forefront of nursing care. This was reinforced by the inclusion of personal and oral
hygiene in the Department of Health’s Essence of Care benchmarks (DH 2001a). The
Chief Nursing Officer’s review of mental health nursing, From Values to Action, also
highlighted personal and physical care as being important skills for mental health
nurses (DH 2006a).
