Core Capabilities Framework for Mental Health

Background

Public and voluntary services across Hampshire & Isle of Wight (HIOW) have seen unprecedented increase in people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues following the pandemic.

Nationally and locally, the focus on parity of esteem for those experiencing mental health challenges has seen increased awareness and demand for services. With the increased demand, comes a need for people working in our communities to have more confidence, skills, and knowledge to support those experiencing mental health issues.

Talking to colleagues across HIOW, from housing officers, receptionists, nurses, managers, pharmacists, and medics, they told us they struggled to identify what training and development they needed or find resources.

HIOW worked with Skills for Health to undertake a Mental Health Training Needs Analysis in summer 2022. Over one thousand people responded from across multiple sectors, 54% told us they needed more training and 33% told us they didn’t know. HIOW are therefore working with Skills for Health again, to develop a Mental Health Core Capabilities Framework.  This framework will be designed to support people across a range of sectors, and roles, to identify the capabilities they need for their role, and then the training and development needed.

Purpose and scope of framework

The framework will:

• Provide a consistent, accessible, and up-to-date mental health core capabilities framework across HIOW. This will allow for the development of a ‘shared’ language to describe capabilities, training, and development across sectors.
• Give people across HIOW a framework to use when talking about their personal development needs, to increase confidence and skills
• Support the development of job descriptions, or role profiles for people working in VCSE, health and care, offering consistency, and ability to develop shared standards
• Support Commissioners in conversations about service development, or new services

Development of the framework

Skills for Health will bring their expertise to developing the framework, and work with a multi-professional, multi-sector Expert Reference Group (ERG). Together they will guide the development process and provide specialist expertise and experience on behalf of their sector and, organisation or role.

Registration of interest

If you wish to receive updates on this exciting project, ensure you have the opportunity to participate in the consultation, and be directly notified when the framework is published, please enter your details here: