Partnership working between UK and Oman to enhance mental health nursing education and practice

It is becoming increasing acknowledged that we live and work in a global economy where cultural, educational and health ideologies are suggested to collide. Working together to address global mental health is key to improving health and strengthening health care systems (APPG 2014, Prince et al. 2007). Inequalities in finance, employment, accommodation, nutrition, education, access to healthcare can be seen throughout the world (WHO 2015). Within this melee mental health issues are subjugated in an attempt to disassociate with its lingering stigma (WHO 2013). Regardless of the attempt to hide the ‘shame’ of mental ill health there are many throughout the world attempting to develop innovative and caring practices to enable people experiencing mental health problems to gain recovery and a good quality of life (WHO 2013). Over the past year we have been developing a mental health nursing education partnership between Cardiff University and Oman Specialised Nursing Institute. A shared belief of students as partners in learning has enabled the working relationships to promote standards and quality (QAA 2014). We have developed a shared understanding of mental health nursing based on the principles of recovery and person centre care and used a number of educational approaches to influence mental health nursing practice. No health without mental health (2011), Mental health measures (2010), Oman’s Health Vision 2050 (Ministry of Health 2014) and the World Health Organisations Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020 (WHO 2013) provides a platform for collaborative working. In this presentation we will share our experiences of our partnership working and programme development (both undergraduate and post graduate) along with our blended teaching methods. In addition to the academic achievements of our students we have found partnership working has enabled a greater personal and cultural awareness for ourselves as lecturers and for our student