The redistribution of mental health care: good, bad or just a bit ugly?

Development of a peer-led, network mapping intervention to improve the health of individuals with severe mental illnesses: protocol for a pilot study

INTRODUCTION

Adults with severe mental illness (SMI) have reduced life expectancy and many have comorbid physical health conditions. Primary care providers are experiencing increased demands for care for people with SMI. Barriers to accessing physical healthcare have been identified which negatively affect quality of care. We propose that peer support workers (PSWs) could deliver an intervention to service users to promote their physical health by drawing on existing social support. The aim of this research was to pilot a novel PSW-led intervention, including personal well-being network mapping, to improve access to primary care for physical health needs.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Twenty-four participants will be recruited from community-based mental health teams in two boroughs of London. Each participant will be offered a six-session intervention. Quantitative data will be collected before and after intervention (at 4-month follow-up). Qualitative interviews will be conducted with PSWs after completion of the intervention and with participants at a 4-month follow-up. Some intervention sessions will be observed by a member of the research team. This is a pilot study with a small sample aiming to assess acceptability and feasibility of an intervention. We aim to use the results to refine the existing theory of change and to optimise the intervention and its evaluation in a future randomised controlled trial. This study is strengthened by its potential clinical importance and origin in previous research where service users engaged with well-being network mapping.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been approved by the London-Chelsea Regional Ethics Committee (ref: 17/LO/0585). The findings will be disseminated to participants, the National Health Service trusts that we recruited from, primary care mental health leads, commissioners and in peer-reviewed journals and academic conferences.

Valuing recovery-oriented practice at the interface between mental health services and communities: The role of organisational characteristics and environments

BACKGROUND

Implementing recovery-oriented mental health services is a policy priority in many countries. In addition, some governments have prioritised new forms of organising, financing and governing the provision of mental health services with a stronger focus on co-delivery and involving communities. Most research in the recovery field has focused on interventions. There is limited knowledge about the role of organisational characteristics and environments in which people experience recovery.

AIM

To understand the organisational characteristics of initiatives that implement recovery-oriented practice at the interface between mental health services and communities, as well as the mechanisms they employ to alter the conditions in which they operate.

METHOD

Semi-structured interviews and a focus group workshop with managers of five initiatives in England that implemented recovery-oriented practice at the interface between mental health services and communities.

RESULTS

Our cross-sector initiatives shared a range of characteristics and employed mechanisms that created favourable conditions for recovery-oriented practice: strong social value and process (rather than performance) orientation; participatory approaches and shared decision-making; flat hierarchies; creating and seizing business opportunities; utilising networking and (social) marketing opportunities; risk-taking; valuing and supporting all members of their organisations; entrepreneurial and value-driven leadership.

CONCLUSION

Recovery-oriented practice takes place in certain organisational environments that importantly influence an individual's recovery. Our research highlights the need to consider organisational characteristics when evaluating recovery interventions as well as a broader shift of research towards understanding the environments in which people experience recovery as members of society, and how those can be altered.