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Tribune News Network
Doha
Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohammad al Kuwari and Executive Director of Maudsley International Tracy Power have signed a partnership agreement in the field of mental health.
According to the agreement, Maudsley International will provide specialised expertise to support the successful implementation of the Qatar National Mental Health Strategy 2013-2018 (QNMHS).
"The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is always keen to promote fruitful partnerships with internationally recognised and high profile institutions for the exchange of world-class specialised expertise in the field of healthcare and the efficient implementation of health strategies, programmes and projects," Dr Hanan said.
She underlined that the partnership with Maudsley International would contribute in realising the vision to provide the population with the best moral health and welfare services through an integrated mental health system that guarantees the provision of the appropriate care at the appropriate time and place.
Under the partnership, Maudsley International will work in partnership with the MoPH to support the development of mental health programmes in schools and provide expert advice to support the development of anti-stigma campaigns for Qatar.
This will help raise public awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
Working with key stakeholders in Qatar, Maudsley International will develop a national mental health research agenda, identifying priority research programmes.
This will provide a coordinated multi-sectorial approach to mental health policy development and planning and ensure mental health research evidence translates into improvements in clinical practice and patient outcomes.
Working with the National Mental Health Program, Maudsley International will also design and deliver Mental Health Awareness Training Programmes for a range of health professionals. This will support one of the key milestones of the QNMHS to ensure Mental Health training is available to all health professionals by March 2017 and contribute to the development of a sustainable, high-quality workforce trained in mental health.
The training will ensure staff have the relevant knowledge and skills to support various population groups accessing mental health services in Qatar.
Speaking on behalf of Maudsley International, Tracey lauded MoPH's efforts in establishing a Mental Health Strategy with an associated implementation plan and its strong commitment to delivering plans to address mental health prevention and promotion.
"This partnership offers valuable learning and awareness opportunities in the field of mental health in Qatar as well as in the region and indeed across the world at large," Tracey said.
Susan Clelland, acting executive director of the National Mental Health Program at the MoPH, said:"Building on the achievements of key strategy partners, this agreement is an important step in delivering the next phase of the National Mental Health Strategy. The mental health expertise provided by Maudsley International will provide additional support to facilitate the mental health agenda in Qatar."
Maudsley International is a social enterprise owned by the Maudsley Charity, which caters for supporting an international network of associates committed to improving mental health services worldwide.
