Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Cash in their hands
- Authors:
- COLDHAM Tina, NEWBIGGING Karen, VICK Nicola
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, June 2005, pp.26-28.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article reports on a project undertaken by the Health and Social Care Advisory Service (HASCAS), and funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, to explore the barriers to implementing direct payments in mental health and the ways in which take up of direct payments by people experiencing direct payments could be increased. The project used focus groups to facilitate dialogue between mental health professionals and service users about the potential offered by direct payments to give more choice and control to service users. The project also aimed to target people from black and minority communities. Summarises some of the main findings.
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)
Making a real difference
- Author:
- NEWBIGGING Karen
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, September 2005, pp.27-30.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The National Institute for Mental Health England (NIMHE) was established in 2002, and from the beginning had a commitment to put people who use services at the centre of their work, and involve service users and carers in the planning and delivery of work. In 2004 the NIMHE executive team conduced a review of service users and carer involvement at all levels within NIMHE, with the aim of identifying what action was needed to develop a more co-ordinated and strategic approach. This article provides a brief overview of the review, its key findings and recommendations.
‘When you haven't got much of a voice’: an evaluation of the quality of Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) services in England
- Authors:
- NEWBIGGING Karen, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 23(3), 2015, pp.313-324.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Given the context of increasing numbers of people detained under the Mental Health Act and heightened awareness of the potential for neglect and abuse in human services, statutory advocacy is an important safeguard supporting human rights and democratising the social relationships of care. This article reports findings from a national review of Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) provision in England. A qualitative study used a two-stage design to define quality and assess the experience and impact of IMHA provision in eight study sites. A sample of 289 participants - 75 focus group participants and 214 individuals interviewed - including 90 people eligible for IMHA services, as well as advocates, a range of hospital and community-based mental health professionals, and commissioners. The research team included people with experience of compulsion. Findings indicate that the experience of compulsion can be profoundly disempowering, confirming the need for IMHA. However, access was highly variable and more problematic for people with specific needs relating to ethnicity, age and disability. Uptake of IMHA services was influenced by available resources, attitude and understanding of mental health professionals, as well as the organisation of IMHA provision. Access could be improved through a system of opt-out as opposed to opt-in. Service user satisfaction was most frequently reported in terms of positive experiences of the process of advocacy rather than tangible impacts on care and treatment under the Mental Health Act. IMHA services have the potential to significantly shift the dynamic so that service users have more of a voice in their care and treatment. However, a shift is needed from a narrow conception of statutory advocacy as safeguarding rights to one emphasising self-determination and participation in decisions about care and treatment. (Edited publisher abstract)
Mental health advocacy outcomes from service user perspectives
- Authors:
- RIDLEY Julie, NEWBIGGING Karen, STREET Cathy
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 23(4), 2018, pp.280-292.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address a knowledge gap on advocacy outcomes from mental health service users’ perspective, and the implications for evaluating advocacy impact. The studies discussed highlight challenges for measuring the outcomes of advocacy, but underline the importance of doing so, and of involving service users alongside other stakeholders in co-designing evaluation systems. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses findings from three qualitative studies of independent advocacy involving focus groups and interviews with: 30 African and African Caribbean men who were mental health service users; 90 “qualifying patients” in a study of Independent Mental Health Advocate services; and nine young women in children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Findings: A comparative analysis and synthesis of findings from three studies identifies four common dimensions: how mental health advocacy is conceptualised and understood; how service users define advocacy outcomes; wider impacts; and, user involvement in evaluating advocacy outcomes. Advocacy outcomes were conceptualised as increasing involvement, changing care and treatment and supporting personal development. There was evidence of advocacy acting to empower mental health service users, and of broader impacts on service regimes and policies. However, there was limited evidence of transformational impact. Evaluating advocacy outcomes is increasingly seen as important. Originality/value: Few researchers have focused primarily on the perspectives of people using independent mental health advocacy, or on the experience of “advocacy as empowerment”, and none have done so across diverse groups. This analysis adds insight into the impact of independent advocacy. Data from empirical studies attest to the important role independent advocacy plays in modern mental health systems.