B. Hannigan, A CHALLENGE FOR COMMUNITY PSYCHIATRIC NURSING - IS THERE A FUTURE IN PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE, Journal of advanced nursing, 26(4), 1997, pp. 751-757
The growing debate surrounding the role of the community psychiatric n
urse (CPN) in the United Kingdom is reviewed. Issues which have attrac
ted significant interest and which form the focus of this paper are th
e prioritization of CPN services, CPN attachment to primary health car
e (PHC), and the effectiveness of clinical interventions. The requirem
ent for CPNs is now to concentrate services on people experiencing sev
ere and enduring mental health problems. Innovative and effective clin
ical and social interventions for this client group are beginning to d
isseminate into everyday CPN practice. Problem-solving family interven
tions, cognitive therapies and case management are three such examples
. The past, present and possible future role for CPNs working in prima
ry health care settings with people experiencing nonpsychotic mental h
ealth problems is a particular focus in this paper. Drawing on the rel
evant literature, central issues addressed are the process and outcome
of CPN work with nonpsychotic service users, reasons for the growth o
f CPN involvement in PHC, and the overall expansion of interest in men
tal health interventions within the primary health care environment. T
he literature suggests that this expansion has been strategically unpl
anned, but that mental health need amongst primary health care service
users is significant. The concluding contention of this pap er is tha
t a future role for CPNs in primary care does exist.