Mental health services in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

This article is a summary of a document prepared by a task team appointed by the Superintendent-General, Head: Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal. The terms of reference of the task team were to scrutinise all available documents on mental health in the province and to come up with a new document entitled ‘Strategic and Implementation Plan for Delivery of Mental Health Services in KwaZulu-Natal’, with operational plans and time frames, and to make specific recommendations with regard to community mental health services and forensic psychiatry.

The documents used to prepare the new document were: A Framework for the Delivery of Mental Health Services by Institutions in KwaZulu-Natal;¹ Mental Health Services Planning Report;² Strategic Policy Document for Mental Health Services in KwaZulu-Natal;³ Community Mental Health Services at Indlovu Region, KwaZulu-Natal;⁴ KwaZulu-Natal Health Care Act 2000;⁵ Mental Health Act 2002;⁶ World Health Report on Mental Health 2001;⁷ and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Report.⁸

The article is divided into nine sections, namely organisational structure; education, training and research; mental health service provision; highly specialised services; community mental health services; forensic mental health services; mental health and the private sector; pharmaceutical services; and summary of recommendations.