§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what actions have (a) regional health authorities 502W and (b) the English National Board taken to meet the education and training requirements of community psychiatric nurses.
§ Mr. HayhoeThere are a number of recent developments in community psychiatric nurse training. First, the English National Board's new (1982) syllabus for basic registered mental nurse training is being increasingly adopted and will be compulsory by 1987. This syllabus places considerably greater emphasis on community care than the old syllabus and should equip those RMNs who work in the community without additional post-basic training (as some do) to deliver care more effectively. Second, the English National Board has devised a post-basic curriculum, available to all health authorities, for community psychiatric nurses. To date, 10 institutions offer this nine-month course and 945 community psychiatric nurses have gained their qualifications since the courses were first set up in 1979. Third, the board has allocated £150,000 in the current financial year to develop the educational provision for community psychiatric and mental handicap nursing.
The role of regional (and district) health authorities is to determine, through the planning process, their future requirements for RMNs and CPNs and make appropriate training provision. Regional strategic plans suggest a considerable expansion of CPN training to meet planning targets for the mid 1990s.