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The book gives students an introduction to the concepts of health and wellbeing within the New Zealand environment and is written to encourage analysis and critical thinking.
I asked myself, would this text be beneficial to students in the psychiatric and mental health field of practice? Yes, indeed it would. There is a clear need to anticipate solutions to big health and wellbeing challenges in New Zealand. The forward by Max Abbot is readable and sensible, describing the complexity of care and challenges over time.
Compassion important
The text is well set out with 18 contributing authors for the 18 chapters. The chapters give good consideration to a number of issues with accompanying summaries, excellent chapter overviews, and an adequate index.
The book examines case studies and it heartens me that it takes a considered approach to all relationships. Compassion is important in mental health work and I feel an approach of thoughtfulness and empathy is evident in this text.
Topics that jumped out included a part about online etiquette, which is useful in today’s evolving world. I would recommend this book. It would be helpful as it is always reassuring to a student to have case studies to refer to, complete with the outcomes, both negative and positive, to guide one’s practice.
Reviewed by Michael Oakley-Browne, retired psychiatric nurse