Choice in Mental Health Care

Briefing Paper 31

Choice in Mental Health Care finds that mental health and learning disability service users would like more opportunities to choose between different treatment, care and support options.

They want to be involved in care planning, to have the option of direct payments and to be consulted about changes to local services.

It is based on research with mental health service users and their carers.

The briefing paper is accompanied by a literature review which aimed to identify what tools there are to help people make meaningful choices; what media are effective in facilitating decision-making; and to what extent methods such as advance directives might be used.

The review also included a consultation exercise and an overview of how choice is reflected in national policy and guidance in four other countries.

Download Choice Literature Review PDF (806 KB)