Search results for ‘Subject term:"independent mental health advocacy"’ Sort:
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What does a good IMHA service look like?
- Author:
- SOCIAL CARE INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE
- Publisher:
- Social Care Institute for Excellence
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 21
- Place of publication:
- London
A self-assessment tool which enables IMHA providers to self-assess their service within a clear quality framework and help them understand what a good IMHA service looks like. The tool lists ten indicators with suggested evidence sources for self-assessment. The quality indicators covered are: values, independence, role clarity, co-production, relationships to other forms of advocacy provision, staffing, equality and diversity, accessibility of the service, relationship with mental health services, and monitoring and self-evaluation. A third column allows IMHA providers to rate themselves using red, amber and green traffic lights. Providers can then summarises their key strengths and areas for development. (Edited publisher abstract)
The right to be heard: review of the quality of Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) services in England
- Authors:
- NEWBIGGING Karen, et al
- Publisher:
- University of Central Lancashire. School of Health
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 292
- Place of publication:
- Preston
Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) services were introduced in the Mental Health Act 2007. Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) became responsible for ensuring the availability of IMHA services in April 2009. An IMHA is a specialist type of mental health advocate, granted specific roles and responsibilities under the 2007 Act. The role of the IMHA is to help qualifying patients understand the legal provisions to which they are subject under the Mental Health Act 1983, the rights and safeguards to which they are entitled, and to help these patients to exercise their rights through supporting participation in decision-making. This review of the quality of IMHA provision across England was commissioned by the Department of Health. The study was undertaken by researchers at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in partnership with Equalities National Council, Aawaz, Manchester African Caribbean Mental Health Services and Comensus, a University-wide forum supporting the involvement of service users and carers in teaching and research. The main aim was to look at how IMHA services are providing help to patients under the 2007 Act, what makes for a good IMHA service, and what factors influence the quality of service provided. The study used different methods to gather information about how IMHA services are working in practice. A first stage involved: a focused literature review; 11 focus groups held across England with a range of stakeholders (advocates, mental health service users, IMHA partners, carers and mental health professionals); and shadow visits to IMHA services. A second stage involved gathering data in eight case study sites (mental health providers) to understand the experience of qualifying patients, the commissioning and delivery of IMHA services, and their relationship with mental health services. The case study sites were selected to reflect differences in the local population and the way IMHA services were organised and delivered. In total 214 people were interviewed, including 90 qualifying patients, 61 of whom had experience of using IMHA services. The report presents key findings on: experiences of the 2007 Act; access to, and understanding and provision of IMHA services; IMHA services and the diversity of qualifying patients; the mental health services context; the benefits of the service; commissioning IMHA services; and determining the quality of IMHA services. The report makes recommendations for government, the Care Quality Commission, commissioners, mental health services, IMHA services, service user, carer and community organisations, and higher education and training providers. This research has found that the IMHA role is valued and appreciated by service users, although its potential is not fully realised. Action is required to strengthen the capacity of such advocacy services; and future research needs to explore gaps in the evidence base and to further evaluate the impact of IMHA practice. (Edited publisher abstract)
The right to be heard: review of the quality of Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) services in England: summary report
- Authors:
- NEWBIGGING Karen, et al
- Publisher:
- University of Central Lancashire. School of Health
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 35
- Place of publication:
- Preston
An Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) is a statutory mental health advocate, granted specific roles and responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 2007. The Department of Health commissioned researchers at the University of Central Lancashire to undertake this study (UCLan) in partnership with Equalities National Council, Aawaz, Manchester African Caribbean Mental Health Services and Comensus, a University-wide forum supporting the involvement of service users and carers in teaching and research. The main aim was to look at how IMHA services are providing help to patients under the 2007 Act, what makes for a good IMHA service, and what factors influence the quality of service provided. The study used multiple methods to gather information about how IMHA services are working in practice. The study was undertaken in two stages, the first of which enabled the development of draft quality indicators for IMHA services. The second stage involved gathering data in eight case study sites (NHS Trust areas) to understand the experience of qualifying patients, and the commissioning and delivery of IMHA services and their relationship with mental health services. This report summarises the main findings on: experiences of the 2007 Act; access to, and understanding and provision of IMHA services; IMHA services and the diversity of qualifying patients; the mental health services context; the benefits of the service; commissioning IMHA services; and determining the quality of IMHA services. The findings confirm that there is a role for IMHA and that this role is valued by IMHA partners, but that most is not being made of this opportunity. (Edited publisher abstract)
The right to be heard: independent mental health advocacy services in England
- Authors:
- NEWBIGGING Karen, McKEOWN Mick, MACHIN Karen
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, September 2012, pp.24-27.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Independent mental health advocacy (IMHA) services were introduced by the Mental Health Act (2007) to safeguard the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act and to enable them to exercise their rights through supporting participation in decision-making. The University of Lancashire was commissioned by the Department of Health to undertake a large-scale study of IMHA services. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the extent to which IMHA services in England are providing accessible, effective and appropriate support for the diversity of qualifying patients, and to better understand the factors that affect quality. This article provides a snapshot of the main findings from the study and makes the case for good quality independent advocacy. The article includes an overview of: the IMHA role; access to IMHA services; the need for and value of advocacy services; commissioning IMHA services; and the future for IMHA services.