Mental health how to help
Download (PDF 499.39 KB)Summary of report content
As the independent champion for users of health and social care services in Surrey, Healthwatch Surrey provide evidence-based insight into the views of local people that use those services. In February and March 2018 their staff and volunteers enabled 70 people to share their views on a wide range of experiences of mental health services; including of mental health hospitals, of community-based services, as carers and as individuals from 19 to 65+ years of age.
The findings informed the people providing mental health services are their best asset. If they fall short, or leave, the ‘system’ (however well-intentioned) cannot easily repair loss of trust and wellbeing. More problems stem from services being unavailable (or simply not known about) than being ineffective. Patients and carers often want to know the full scope of services and help available, rather than simply being told ‘this is what we’ll do’. When people with mental ill-health and their carers are involved in care plans they are substantially more satisfied with services. Around half of people accessing services in the last 18 months have not been involved in their care plan.
The recommendations inform commissioners and service providers should review the way they assess the services they provide to ensure that they incorporate feedback reported directly by patients, on the issues that patients told us were important i.e. that they have: a. been involved in care planning b. been listened to c. been understood as an individual person d. had calls / messages / texts returned e. had consistency of advice f. had continuity of staff g. had swift access to care professionals (when needed) h. had swift access to staff with suitable expertise to offer effective specialist care. In addition, commissioners should consider undertaking research to better understand what good information looks like to different people and carers at different stages of emotional wellbeing. Commissioners should investigate the low level of people reporting involvement in care plans (around half) within this report and further explore the reasons why people do not feel involved.