Service user involvement and co-production: the MARD project (2007) Documents by the Making A Real Difference (MARD) project. Expand Valuing involvementInvolvement policyGood practiceWorking with diverse groupsCommunicating with diverse groupsMaking events more inclusiveMinimum standards for working with diverse groupsCommissioning guidelinesLeadership trainingPayment and reimbursement guidanceBenefit conditionsCommunication strategyStaff induction packTraining resourcePayment and reimbursement templateMonitoring and evaluation toolsInvolvement passportFinal project reportHASCAS report on the MARD project
Service user involvement and co-production publications Publications by the members of the national survivor user network (NSUN), network for mental health, on user involvement and co-production Expand The case for co-production Charter and Guidelines for Partnership Working between Generic and Black and Minority Ethnic User/Survivor-led Organisations (TOOTS)Dancing to our own tunes by Jayasree KalathilMaking user involvement work by Peter BeresfordOn our own terms by Jan WallcraftStrategies for living: user led research into strategies for living with mental distressUser involvement - a brief literature review by Alison Faulkner Ethnic Inequalities in Mental Health: Promoting Lasting Positive Change - A Consultation with Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health Service Users
Unlocking Service User Involvement Practice in Forensic Settings (2011) NSUN commissioned WISH to conduct a review of involvement practice in forensic settings. Expand NSUN commissioned WISH to conduct a review of involvement practice in forensic settings. The resulting report has now been published. Many NHS and independent sector forensic units are failing to provide adequate and meaningful opportunities for service user involvement. This is the conclusion of a review carried out by WISH on behalf of NSUN and published in October. Just under half (74) of the 154 secure psychiatric hospitals identified in the survey returned the questionnaire. The responses showed low levels of user involvement and a widespread lack of robust structures that would give service users a meaningful say in how services are designed and delivered. In only 55% of NHS hospitals was there a member of staff with specific responsibility for service user involvement. The most common type of forum for service user involvement was the weekly community meeting (96%), followed by the patient’s council (47%). The issues dealt with were mainly day-to-day concerns, such as smoking, activities, food, and the ward environment. Many units lacked any mechanisms for feedback or to evaluate effectiveness of these forums. The report makes several recommendations – not least that all forensic hospitals should have a designated service user involvement lead post, and a senior manager with specific responsibility for user involvement. NSUN says forensic units also need clear guidelines on good practice and mechanisms for ensuring feedback and assessing the effectiveness of user involvement structures and forums. NSUN will use the survey findings to bid for funds for further research into embedding user involvement in forensic settings. An implementation plan will set out how the recommendations will be taken forward. To find out about WISH please visit https://www.womenatwish.org.uk/ Document by this project: Forensic report
Values-based commissioning (2014) Partnership project around supporting people with lived experience to gain proper input into the commissioning of services they use. Expand What is commissioning? Commissioning is the process of making sure that health and care services meet the needs of the population in each local area. Commissioners set priorities and organisations are selected to provide health services for local people. NSUN seeks to improve service user involvement by supporting people with lived experience to gain proper input into the commissioning of services they use. Values-based commissioning Traditional commissioning relies on scientific and research evidence to make decisions about what kinds of services should be prioritised and paid for. This can overlook the experiences and opinions of people who actually use the services, so what’s provided might not meet people’s needs. In ‘values-based’ commissioning, the views and experiences of people who use services have equal weight to the scientific and research evidence. “Values-based commissioning is a practice where everyone becomes equal partners. Service users, carers, clinicians and managers all become part of the commissioning model regarding mental health. There’s joint ownership and there’s no power issues really. So, services users and carers have more of a say in what goes on in the services they receive”. (Service user and carer) We know that this is far from the reality in many places at the moment. Many people aren’t happy with the mental health services in their area and some have had poor or even traumatic experiences. Values-based commissioning could be your chance to have a say and change services for the better. Telling commissioners how it feels to be on the receiving end of services and suggesting improvements could make a real difference to health services and the people who used them. Output: Influencing Mental Health Services, guide to Values Based Commissioning (NSUN in partnership with Mind). Values based commissioning report
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Service User Involvement Where to find advice on being paid for involvement opportunities without affecting ESA payments. Expand If you are in receipt of income-related ESA, you can find advice on how to receive payments hassle-free from any service user involvement opportunities you may choose to take part in through a new guide produced by Judy Scott. Judy is an independent welfare rights advisor who has advised the Department of Health, NHS Trusts and many UK wide charities on how service users and carers who they involve in improving their services, and who are in receipt of state benefits, may be paid for their time without putting their only income at risk. Please click here to view an informational leaflet about the guide. The guide can be bought here. It is available as a paperback or as an eBook for Kindle.