Improving mental health care in general hospitals.

The mental health needs of older people being cared for within general hospitals and other acute healthcare settings has been specifically identified as a priority for improvement. Yet in reality little has changed. The Department of Health (DH) (2006) has highlighted how many challenges still exist in developing effective integrated care for this patient group and continues to respond with further centrally initiated policy documents. This article explores the relationship between policy and practice and highlights how, despite their importance, policy initiatives alone are unlikely to be enough to ensure the effective delivery of mental health care for older people in general hospitals.