The Ten Essential Shared Capabilities: their development and application

In this chapter, we explore how the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities were developed andtheir initial application in practice as part of the training and education of mental healthworkers.Early in the 21st Century we find ourselves in the position whereby it is widely acknowledgedthat education and training for mental health practice has not kept pace withcontemporary service models or the changing needs of service users and carers. There continueto be serious concerns about the utility, relevance and effectiveness of much of ourcurrent education and training provision. Although it has long been recognised that there aredistinct advantages in multidisciplinary and shared training, much of the coordination anddelivery of programmes remains fragmented and uni-disciplinary. Differences between theprofessional roles of mental health practitioners are difficult to define and the role of nursesand social workers covers much of the same ground. In addition a number of new roleshave been created and there are increasing numbers of mental health workers who do notbelong to the established professions. Their training and education, whilst generally moremodern in its approach, has grown in a very piecemeal way and presents as an interesting,lively but somewhat un-coordinated patchwork of vocational and academic qualifications.