Centre for Mental Health

Service users must lead evaluations of mental health services, says a new guide

3 January 2007

Genuine choice in mental health care will only exist when service users lead evaluations of services, says a new guide from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH).

A Guide to User-Focused Monitoring: Setting Up and Running a Project, provides a step-by-step guide to managing a user-focused monitoring (UFM) project. It is based on over ten years' experience of local monitoring projects across the country.

It shows how the unique perspective of people who use services can create research that breaks boundaries and gives service providers a new insight into the impact they have on people's lives.

Rachel Perkins, Director of Quality Assurance and User / Carer Experience, South West London & St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, said "Mental health services look very different according to how you relate to them. Historically, the views of service providers have been the primary, and often only, consideration.

"But the development of user-focused monitoring at SCMH represents a radical departure from this tradition. It shows how evaluation projects managed by service users are often more effective in finding out the real experiences of people who are using services."

Angela Greatley, chief executive of SCMH, said: "If the Government's agenda to introduce choice in mental health care is to be truly effective, then users must shape how services develop. UFM has shown how they can do this successfully.

"It has also given new hope to many users who have worked on the projects and helped them in their return to permanent employment."