MMAN — The Jordan Nursing Council (JNC), in cooperation with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Jordan office, on Tuesday held a dialogue session on strengthening the role of nurses in mental health services, particularly within primary healthcare. 

 

The session brought together experts, specialists and representatives from the health, academic and professional sectors to identify gaps, challenges and opportunities and develop practical recommendations for decision-makers, the Jordan News Agency,Petra, reported.

 

JNC Secretary General Hani Nawafleh said mental health cannot wait for a crisis to receive attention, stressing the need to build capacity proactively and reach people before their suffering worsens.

 

He called for shifting from delayed responses towards prevention, early detection, intervention, follow-up and continuity of care to improve mental health services.

 

Nawafleh said building the future of mental healthcare requires developing policies, regulations, education, competencies and the workforce.

 

He also called for empowering mental health nurses to perform their full role within primary healthcare amid growing demand for integrated, community-based services.

 

The council, under the presidency of Princess Muna Al Hussein, has participated since 2007 in national efforts to strengthen and reform the mental health system in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and WHO, Nawafleh said.

 

He noted that these efforts have contributed to national plans, nursing capacity building, training specialised nurses, supporting community services and integrating mental health into primary healthcare.

 

WHO representatives highlighted the importance of strengthening health services and referred to the National Mental Health and Substance Use Action Plan 2022–2026 and the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) as frameworks supporting the integration of mental health into primary healthcare and investment in nursing capacities.

 

The session focused on three areas: policy and regulation, education, employment and workforce development, and the integration of mental health nurses into primary healthcare.

 

Participants concluded the session with a set of recommendations based on their expertise and field experience across the mental health sector.

 

Nawafleh said the value of the session “is not measured by the number of recommendations, but by their ability to reach the decision-making table and turn into actions that can be implemented, measured and followed up”.

 

He described the session as the first step in moving from specialised expertise to policymaking.

 

“We do not want recommendations that end up filed away; we want expertise that reaches decisions, and decisions whose impact reaches the field and the people,” he said.

 

The outcomes will be presented at a second dialogue session on October 8, with the participation of policymakers and decision-makers, coinciding with World Mental Health Day.

 

The follow-up session aims to translate the outcomes of the specialised discussion into policies and measures benefiting patients, families and communities.