es in which individuals, communities, government, and stakeholders at the local and national levels can promote mental health.

Mental health is one of two new National Service Frameworks to be implemented since April, 2000. The National Framework sets standards and defines service models for mental health promotion, suicide prevention, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and care. It plays a key role is achieving the goal of reducing suicides. Another new initiative is The National electronic Library for Health (NeLH), which is part of the government's Information for Health strategy and includes a library for mental health issues.¹⁴

In 1999 the Ministries of Public Health and Safety and Health launched the Healthy Workplace Initiative with the slogan "Improving Health is Everybody's Business." It is promoting healthy workplaces by developing good practices for handling key workplace issues; making available relevant information; encouraging better access to services and connecting them to prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation; and helping to promote compliance with relevant workplace legislation.¹⁵

AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING FOR HEALTH POLICY

The Department of Health seeks to improve health and well being by supporting activities to protect, promote, and improve the nation's health; to secure the provision of comprehensive health care for all; and to provide responsive social care and child protection for those in need.¹⁶ It is responsible for developing and implementing the National Service Frameworks for Mental Health.¹⁷

The Department of Health played an active role in promoting mental health throughout the 1990s. It convened an interagency group to co-ordinate mental health activities in the workplace which included representatives from the Trade Unions Congress, employers' bodies, the Health and Safety Executive, and the Institute of Personnel Management. This resulted in the resource packet, "Mental wellbeing in the workplace" for management training and development and in conferences on mental health in the workplace, which took place in 1992 and 1993. Both conferences led to major publications, one of which was disseminated to NHS managers, and leaflets designed to increase employers' awareness of mental health in the workplace. These are: "A guide to mental health in the workplace" and "ABC of mental health in the workplace."

The Health Development Agency (HDA), previously the Health Education Authority (HEA), was founded in 1987 as a special health authority, and is largely funded by the government's Department of Health. The HDA is England's lead body in health promotion. It aims to improve the health of the nation and works to reduce health inequalities. The HDA advises the government on health promotion strategy, undertakes research within key areas of health promotion, maintains a knowledge base on the subject, and works with health professionals on practical projects. The HDA also disseminates information on health issues to the public.¹⁸

The HDA's Mental Heath Programme has been running two projects, which support the strategic promotion of mental health. Through Mental Health Charters, it is developing four charters which support and set specific guidelines for the development of mentally healthy schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and prisons. In Mental Health Promotion Strategies it is developing effective evidence-based promotion strategies and disseminating existing examples of national, local, and regional strategies.