Abstract
MIND (National Association for Mental Health), formed in 1946 from the former National Council for Mental Hygiene and other bodies in the U.K., has developed an information service designed to provide data on all aspects of mental health to patients and their relatives, and to profes sional workers and the public. Databanks are maintained at MIND's headquarters in London and in each of the regional offices in Cardiff, Sheffield, Leeds, Preston and Gateshead.
The regulation of the databanks is governed by a common thesaurus of subject headings, enabling rapid and accurate exchange of information throughout the organisation. An advice service is available to users, especially regarding legal and welfare rights and benefits; referral to other voluntary agencies; and profiles of statutory mental health services throughout the U.K. In addition, the service offers back-up to MIND's 160 local groups which provide practical projects involving patients and ex-psychiatric patients.
An increasing number of organisations in the voluntary sector, charities and other agencies, are recognising the importance of information resources in the conduct of their work. The information services of the mental health organisa tion MIND are long established and perhaps amongst the most advanced in the voluntary sphere. This article offers a profile of MIND's information services, and provides at the same time an example of the approach taken by many such groups to satisfy their requirements.
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