Two mental health charities, Together and the Mental Health
Foundation, have been commissioned by independent healthcare provider, the
Priory Group, to deliver a project aimed at improving levels of service user
involvement across its mental health services.
The proposal for the project was developed by Anne Beales
MBE, Director of Service User Involvement at Together, and David Crepaz-Keay,
Head of Empowerment and Inclusion at the Foundation, after they visited a
number of Priory sites to talk with service users and staff.
Both Anne and David have used mental health services
themselves, and are responsible for improving levels of involvement at their
respective organisations, as well as being active externally within the
statutory and voluntary sectors.
How the project will
work
The project, to be evaluated independently, will begin with
mapping existing service user involvement within the Priory Group's mental
health settings at an individual, operational and strategic level. Together and the Mental Health Foundation will
then work with service users to identify how they want to be involved in their
own care and treatment, before sitting down with staff members to determine
specific goals to enable better participation.
Based on the discussions, Anne and David will develop and
deliver involvement training for existing front-line professionals,
particularly nursing staff, to help them fully understand and adopt a more
empowering approach that fully meets service user expectations.
In 2007, Anne Beales and David Crepaz-Keay helped to set up
the National Survivor User Network (NSUN), an independent charity dedicated to
strengthening the service user voice by linking up service user-led groups in England. The NSUN will play a role by helping to link
up Priory sites to other service user-led groups that can further support
patients.
Professor Chris
Thompson, Director of Healthcare Service, the Priory Group, says: "Priory has commissioned this project because we believe that our
service users need and deserve to have high levels of involvement in their care
and treatment. The research is being
carried out by two well respected organisations and I am sure will enhance the
experience and understanding of service users at a time when they are at their
most vulnerable".
Anne Beales MBE,
Director of Service User Involvement, Together, says: "In my experience, better
involvement of service users leads to innovation and an improved quality of
service, which ultimately improves the wellbeing of service users. It also helps to make work for staff members
more rewarding, and I’m looking forward to working with the team to make the
project a success".
David Crepaz-Keay, Head
of Empowerment and Inclusion, at the Mental Health Foundation says: "This project will enable the Priory Group to deliver services that are
truly responsive to their service-users. Having more control over the kind of
care and treatment that you receive makes a huge amount of difference no matter
what your diagnosis. This is a matter of respect and dignity, and done well it
can really enhance a person’s recovery".
ENDS
For media enquiries contact the Mental Health Foundation on
020 7803 1128 / 07967 586489.
Notes to Editors:
Together is a mental health charity and
service provider with a mission to be trusted for our expertise in service user
involvement. We work with around 4,000
adults a month who have complex and recurring mental health issues, in more
than 100 different locations.
www.together-uk.org
The Mental Health
Foundation uses research and practical
projects to help people survive, recover from and prevent mental health
problems. We work to influence policy, including government at the highest
levels. And we use our knowledge to raise awareness and to help tackle the
stigma attached to mental illness. We
reach millions of people every year through our media work, information
booklets and online services. Registered Charity No: (England & Wales)
801130: (Scotland)
SC 039714.
www.mentalhealth.org.uk
The Priory Group
is the UK's leading independent provider of acute mental health services, secure and step-down services, specialist education, complex care and neuro-rehabilitation services, working in partnership with the
public and independent sectors.
Priory's acute psychiatric hospitals offer a comprehensive range of
successful, evidence-based inpatient, outpatient and day patient treatment
programmes and therapy services for a wide variety of mental health issues,
including depression, addictions, eating disorders and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
Priory Secure Services is a specialist provider of secure
mental health services working in partnership with the NHS.
www.priorygroup.com
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