Jul1Written by:Editor
01/07/2010 
Over recent years, much research has been conducted into evaluating the effect of service user empowerment on an individual’s rehabilitation. It is now widely agreed amongst mental health professionals that self-involvement in decisions affecting progression and care can have significant positive impact on behaviour and confidence.
As the UK’s largest charitable provider of specialist mental health care, St Andrews recognises that service users are often the best people to comment on their own personal need for care and intervention. This input is both therapeutic for the individual and also invaluable to their care provider in helping to shape and develop effective services. St Andrew’s prides itself on being service user centric and strives to involve and empower its residents at every opportunity.
Service users bring new perspectives to recruitment process
For many roles services users are involved throughout the selection and recruitment stages, choosing short-listed candidates and joining staff members on interview panels. In addition to improving a patient’s confidence and communication skills, studies suggest that applicants are challenged by questions that may not have been considered in a more traditional interview. Following appointment, service users are also invited to join new employees on their induction. This is proving to be very successful with service users valuing the interaction and staff benefiting from the opportunity to initiate contact with patients in a neutral environment.
Patients as teachers
Guided by the charity’s experienced coaches, information such as the new Mental Health Act amendments is now communicated to service users by a group of fellow service users. Feedback is extremely encouraging with audiences demonstrating a thorough understanding of the taught changes and a desire to be involved with future training projects.
Focus groups challenge guidelines
As experts in their personal needs, service user views offer a valuable insight into the development of treatment plans and interventions. A recent focus group was held to understand how individuals at St Andrew’s wish to be treated by staff. The findings are driving a review of the charity’s current breakaway guidelines and any changes will be implemented across the organisation’s services in the next few months.