ABSTRACT
Drawing together the chapters on mental health and health promotion this chapter begins to outline the concept and practice of mental health promotion (MHP), It discusses the differences between mental health promotion and mental illness prevention and identifies eight elements of mental health which provide a comprehensive basis for the promotion of mental health. The focus for MHP is on individuals: the implications of the eight elements for groups and communities are discussed in Chapter 5. The chapter concludes with two discussions which take up the challenge of social policy advocated in The health of the nation: MHP amongst 'the mentally ill' and MHP at work, in particular staff working in the National Health Service (NHS) and in social services departments (SSDs).
