Mental health services for older people have undergone a number of changes in Western Europe, particularly in the UK, over recent years. Specialist services for older people were, in many ways, pioneered in the UK, and much can be learned from those initial experiences.
In the UK, the National Service Framework for Older People has laid out a template for the development of services. Aspirations are that they should be community based, linked closely to primary care, and should be responsive to the needs of older people. There is a tendency for less of an emphasis on services based in hospital, although some specialist facilities will always be needed.
This presentation will review current services for older people with mental health problems and suggest some indicators for future provision. A survey by the author and colleagues has highlighted current practice in the UK, and the results of this will be discussed.
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