This essay will firstly demonstrate a focus on mental health and social factors which create mental health. Moreover, critical analysis on the key aspects of a current health policy concerning mental health will be elaborated on, taking into consideration the effectiveness within the policy, what ladder of the intervention of approach it stems from as well as what the main ideology approach is behind the policy. Equally, factors that shape policy will be implemented and a range of ideological perspectives that influences how policy is constructed.
Furthermore, a critical analysis will be discussed throughout the essay on how the chosen policy has been implemented efficiently. Moreover, a critical analysis will be elaborated on using the Bardach (2000) policy analysis framework to clarify if the chosen policy is fully analyzed, understood and implemented effectively for the chosen health group. Additionally, an alternative approach will be considered analyzing the reality of the problem and how this can be improved, for example, using media advocacy, reaching the public through community level, general approaches, or a focused approach.
Lastly, referring to the findings from the policy analysis a strategy will be critically discussed on other tactics that can be employed in order to influence the policymakers. Moreover, the essay will look at other existing policies and other proposals that could be included in the policy on what actions that can be implemented, for instance, charity, the conference to gain the public’s attention.Mental health has been associated with a mass amount of suicides making this a major public health issue in 2017 there were 5,821 suicides due to mental health within the UK (Office for national statistics, 2018)Additionally, the chosen policy is the 2010 to 2015 government policy: mental health service reform policy which addresses several core aspects regarding tackling mental health, Department of Health & Social Care (2015) notes there is evidence that structural barriers such as access to health care, social services and employment opportunities for individuals in the UK with mental health problems are falling short.
Equally, structural barriers regarding access to mental health services have been neglected by the government. Alternatively, media coverage has had a negative influence frequently aimed at stigmatizing and misleading reports of both patients and therapies. Besides, individuals experiencing mental health are reaching a crisis point and are the most group at risk (Darra and Frewen, 2012). Equally, a group highly affected by mental health issues are individuals living in deprived surroundings. Datta and Frewen (2012) suggest young people living in low socio-economic disadvantaged environments are prone to experience mental health issues.Nevertheless, according to Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991), there are layers of influence on health and its social (Eckersley, 2015). In addition, the layers affecting health and wellbeing correlates between the individual and their environment. In addition, the policy suggests individuals with mental health illnesses face barriers in society such as poor physical health difficulties in areas like relationships, education and work prospects (Department of Health & Social Care, 2015). On the other hand, the concept of social determinants is central to policies with tackling the social influences on health seen as a way to reduce health inequalities (Datta and Frewen, 2012). However, Lauder, Kroll, and Jones (2007) suggest mental health stems from individuals’ social network rather than socioeconomic factors.Furthermore, identifying the factors that influence mental health is critical for tailoring interventions and programmers that can improve mental health. Granados (2010) suggests these social conditions are shaped by the amount of money, power, and resources that people have, all of which are influenced by policy choices. According to the Mental health Service Reform policy, there are health inequalities in some areas, there is evidence that mental health services aren’t meeting the needs of some individuals (Department of health & social care, 2015). Likewise, the policy suggests implementing a campaign called Time to Change against mental health stigma and discriminations (Doh, 2015). Furthermore, one of the key proposals is giving local health and wellbeing boards a responsibility to decrease health inequalities in their area, including mental health (Doh, 2015). Besides, the policy seems to stem from conservative ideology. Therefore, inequality is inevitable but there should be equality of opportunity, the state’s role is to provide for the vulnerable and needy, but individual freedom of choice must be protected (Granados, 2010). Equally, inequalities in wealth are unavoidable, market forces ensure individual’s needs are met in a satisfactory manner (Granados, 2010). Moreover, several consultations and developments within the policy include increasing the impact of mental health services by making shorter waiting times a priority, providing Ј400 million to give more individuals access to psychological therapies (Doh, 2015). Nevertheless, a policy-making process is complex and politicized, there are several vital factors that help shape a policy (Griffiths and Hunter, 2007).According to Crowley and Scott (2017) evidence about effective intervention is seeking to bring about a change, the evidence is required about the potential of dissimilar paths of action to promote health or reduce harm. Besides, this can be evaluated by an overall balance between risks and benefits and how these are distributed among different members of the population (Kuersteiner, Phillips and Villamizer-Villegas, 2015)In addition, the policy seeks to promote innovation and awareness by receiving expert knowledge and advice from the National suicide prevention strategy advisory group on suicide prevention strategy (Doh, 2015). Similarly, the policy aims to gain advice on improving mental health services by seeking advice from the Ministerial Advisory Group on mental health strategy (Doh, 2015).Arguably, the problem of making public health policy is the issue of bridging the gap between the people who are concerned with good public health and politicians who make policy (Glasby, 2011). According to Mclaughlin et al., (2007) the health care professionals should always act in a way that benefits the individual.Additionally, the policy is constructed under the conservative-lib dem coalition government its focus is more on treatment rather than prevention. (Doh, 2015). For instance, increasing the impact of mental health services (Lee and Friedrich, 2011). Arguably, treatment’s limited priority focuses on the fact that those in need of treatments are often clearly worse off than those who can benefit from prevention (Lee and Friedrich, 2011). The policy includes the mental health strategy implementation plan working with the help of NHS Confederation, Rethink mental illness and MIND (Doh, 2015). Conversely, Croft, Currie, and Staniszewska (2016) suggests media coverage has a powerful monumental influence on all policy processes. Moreover, media corporations may set policy agendas, but as the duration of the policy, attention cycles continues to decrease the influence of policy outcomes will be increasingly left out of reach of the public, and safely in the hands of established policymakers (Glasby, 2011). Nevertheless, the chosen policy shows a media contribution by collaborating with the United Kingdom (UK) council for Child Internet Safety to find ways to help parents stop their children visiting harmful suicide-related websites (Department of Health & Social Care, 2015). Additionally, the policy seems to have an influence on social democratic as it implements a collective action and public provision as a matter of principle. Likewise, the common-good approach seems to have an influence on the policy as it places a focus on ensuring that the social policies, social systems, and environments on which we depend are beneficial to all (Munten, 2018).Conversely, the policy shows an attempt of implementing Health in All Policies (HIAP) by promoting action on the social determinants of health. HIAP delivers a foundation for policymakers from the health sector to work with other government (Baum et al., 2014). Furthermore, the chosen policy addresses giving local health and wellbeing boards a duty to reduce health inequalities in areas (Department of Health & Social care, 2015). Similarly, according to Perren and Sabsed (2013) capitalism as practiced by the `right` produced negative impact within the society of which inequality is one of such weaknesses, and in order to stop it’s widening the gap a socialist democratic government must intervene (Staerkl© and Green, 2018).On the other hand, the policy is constructed in more of a centrist ideology as it comes across somewhere in between the left ideology and the right, for example, its main drive is more about treatment rather than prevention (Doh, 2015). Additionally, there is segregation between recognizing the social causes of mental health problems and more about individuals than communities (Department of health & social care, 2015). Arguably, addressing social influences is vital when preventing mental health. Staerkl© and Green (2018) note in assessing the cost-effectiveness of preventive interventions compared with treatment, it’s only fair to consider the longer time prospects of most public health interventions. According to Cooper (2006), there are varieties of early intervention and prevention approaches that aim to improve mental health and wellbeing by acting before health problems worsen. Equally, there are several ways in which prevention and early intervention can be cost-effective. For example, this may be through reducing the demand for and the cost of future healthcare interventions there may also be benefits for society and the economy more widely. In addition, the policy has included several ways of treatments by prioritizing services regarding mental health and making better access to mental health services (Department of Health & Social Care, 2015).Moreover, the policy seems to stem from a conservative ideology there is a demonstration of individuals and communities having a strong role in improving mental health. For example, an aspect of deprivation in the reformist perspective would be difficulties of access (Naido and Wills, 2009). Equally, positive liberals argue that the state can adopt a more constructive role in dealing with social complications (Alcock, Daly and Griggs, 2004). Besides, individuals and communities need to be assisted by a government at local and national levels to intervene in the structures that influence against healthy choices and to help individuals make more choices that will improve health (Alcock, Daly and Griggs, 2004). Moreover, the conservative party argues that the engine of change is not an abstract, not a society but is actually the individual and the collective actions of millions of people to improve health (Griffiths and Hunter, 2007). On the contrary, the chosen policy seems to also have an influence on more of a left-wing approach as it mentions improvements in access to mental health services (Department of health & social care, 2015). Kang, Goodney, and Wong (2016) Equally, the left has always understood that the big structures of society, economy, living conditions and education must be improved for the mass population (Perren and Sabsed, 2013). However, it also shows understanding regarding individuals especially from disadvantaged backgrounds who have an active role in improving their own situation and that it cannot be done for them (Perren and Sabsed, 2013). According to Bardach (2008), there is a policy analysis framework in providing a critical analysis of a specific policy. The core problem within the chosen policy stems from a general approach focusing treatment services for mental health individuals
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