The National Service Framework (NSF) for Mental Health was published in 1999. Standard One of the Framework included a requirement for health and social services to promote mental health for all, in schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods. The mental health promotion programme is being led by the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), part of the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP).

Various guidance has been developed to support services in developing and implementing local mental health promotion strategies, ‘Making It Happen: A Guide to Delivering Mental Health Promotion’ – 2001, a resource pack for promoting mental health in primary care settings – 2003, and ‘Celebrating Our Cultures’ – 2004 which provides guidelines for promoting mental health with black and minority ethnic communities.

In October 2005, NIMHE published ‘Making it Possible – A Good Practice Guide to Improving People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing’. The document is designed to assist people who work in local communities to raise the profile of public mental health and to help focus their efforts on the activities which are most likely to make the most impact.

CSIP has brought together experts from both the statutory and voluntary sectors to form a National Advisory Group on Mental Health Promotion. The group aims to raise the national profile of the commitment made in NSF Standard One to promote mental health for all, assemble and disseminate evidence of effective interventions in promoting mental health and mental well-being, and provide advice and direction to support the work of NSF Standard One leads at regional and local level.

To support mental health promotion activity around England a series of newsletters have been published. Mental Health Promotion Update is published quarterly by NIMHE.

SHIFT – Tackling stigma and discrimination

Department of Health – ‘No Health without Mental Health’ – English Mental Health Strategy

National Mental Health Development Unit – Briefing Strategy