New mental health role to accredited

Talks are under way between the Department of Health and the
General Social Care Council about the accreditation of the new role
of approved mental health practitioner.

Head of mental health legislation at the Department of Health
Adrian Sieff said he was aware of the concerns around scrapping the
post of approved social worker and replacing it with approved
mental health practitioners (AMHPs).

He told delegates at a mental health conference organised by
Harrogate Management Centre in London last month that despite some
AMHPs coming from health backgrounds, they would be expected to
offer a social perspective within the tribunal process.

Under the draft Mental Health Bill, nurses and occupational
therapists are among the groups of workers who can take up the job,
which has led to fears that medical professionals will dominate the
field.