Service user involvement in forensic mental health: Can it work?

Abstract

In 2001 the Department of Health issued its Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care and subsequent Research Governance Implementation Plan which outlined the steps toward full compliance with the framework by 2004. The Research Governance Framework says that service users and their representatives should wherever possible be involved in the design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of research. The benefits of involving service users in the research process have been highlighted in many research fields including cancer and mental health, where active partnership with service users has ensured that research is meaningful and relevant to their needs. Involvement of service users and carers can shape the research agenda through the provision of a valuable perspective which is shaped by people's own experiences. However, the many practical implications of the involvement of service users in research need to be addressed to ensure that their involvement is not tokenistic. Important issues of public protection and security further complicate service user involvement in forensic mental health research. The UK National Forensic Mental Health Research and Development Programme actively encourages the involvement of service users in its research commissioning processes and has taken some innovative steps to involve current forensic mental health service users in research prioritisation and commissioning.

Keywords:

• Forensic mental health
• research commissioning
• service user involvement
• research governance
• peer reviewing
• high secure hospital

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of the following people at Rampton High Secure Hospital, who made this work possible: the patients' council, Ms Mary Vickers, and Advocacy staff; Dr Chris Evans, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust; Ms Janette Oakley, Research Assistant; and the management and security teams. We would also like to acknowledge the support and encouragement we have received from Professor Keith Soothill, advisory committee chair for the National Forensic Mental Health R&D Programme. We appreciate the helpful comments of the anonymous reviewers.

Notes

For further details see: at http://www.nfmhp.org.uk.

For further details see: http://www.involve.org.uk.

For further details see: http://www.nimhe.org.uk, http://www.mhrn.info, and http://www.mhrn.info/surge.html.

For further details see: http://www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk/directimpact and http://www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/psychiatry/research/ucrig.htm.

For further details see: http://www.nfmhp.org.uk/user.htm

For further details see: http://www.revolving-doors.co.uk.

More information regarding the projects can be obtained by visiting the National Research Register at http://www.update-software.com/national