A key to getting it right - Mental Health, Enfield

In August 2017, Healthwatch Enfield launched its first Service Champions pilot at Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, involving individuals with lived-in experiences in the local adult mental health pathway redesign. This report is an evaluation of the pilot.

This particular piece of work aimed to develop opportunities for mental health service users to have their voices heard through meaningful involvement in discussions and therefore focussed on semi structured interviews with senior management personnel at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust and two current mental health service users. Both the staff and experts by experience were asked similar questions about:

• reasons for getting involved?

• the difference of being involved?

• what changes can be observed?

• what the impact is?

• what did we learn?

The key findings from this work, is through involving mental health service users in service development. This was recognised as a prime opportunity to change the standard approach to gathering feedback through surveys and complaints, to a proactive involvement that breaks the barriers between professionals and patients.

Impact so far

The pilot has had a significant impact on Service Champions helping to increase their self-esteem whilst also providing the individuals with an insight into the constraints faced by the local NHS.

Healthwatch Enfield will continue to work with the team at Enfield’s directorate of Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust to:

• support Service Champions as they continue their involvement with the adult mental health pathway redesign

• explore ways in which Service Champions can support the Trust once the adult mental health pathway redesign moves from planning to implementation

• develop resources that address the key learning points on involving Service Champions in mental health services for adoption within the Trust and beyond