The development of a tool to measure service user satisfaction with in-patient forensic services: The Forensic Satisfaction Scale

Abstract

Background: Service-user satisfaction helps determine the quality of services. No valid measure of service-user satisfaction in forensic mental health settings has been developed.

Aims: To develop and validate a scale designed to measure satisfaction with forensic mental health services.

Method: Participants were from three forensic mental health units. Items generated from focus groups were developed into a self-report scale and factor analysed. This was administered with a non-forensic satisfaction self-report scale, the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale (VSSS) and assessed for internal consistency and validity.

Results: A 60-item scale was produced comprising seven subscales recording moderate to high levels of internal consistency and concurrent validity with the VSSS.

Conclusions: The scale is a promising instrument for assessing service-user satisfaction with forensic mental health in-patient services.

Keywords:

• Forensic mental health services
• in-patient services
• service-user satisfaction
• The Forensic Satisfaction Scale

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a National Forensic Mental Health Research and Development Programme Grant Number MRD 12/51.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Note

1. Copies of the FSS are available from the lead author.