Service user perspective on the benefits of an integrated approach to mental health service delivery Fiona Hill Chair of London Health Programmes Service User Panel

Opportunities Address issues raised by people using services – and carers – in relation to feeling they can get ‘lost in the system’ Address experiences of individuals using services that they are expected to fit into the different cultures of organisations Address experiences of individuals that services work in silos rather than collaboratively Address experiences of feeling excluded from discussions and decisions made about them

Opportunities identified by the Service User Panel Improve communication Facilitate understanding Make use of expertise and work collaboratively in a respectful way – facilitating individuals’ involvement as central rather than as an optional extra Work more flexibly, negotiating different cultures of organisations Define different roles and responsibilities facilitating accountability and equality

Opportunities identified by the Service User Panel Enable people to feel valued and have a voice and be treated as unique individuals and not as labels or conditions or ‘just service users’ Enable use of a shared language facilitating accessibility Challenge stigma Enable flexibility – avoiding squeezing individuals into existing systems and their needs and wants being overlooked as a result

Learning about collaboration from people’s involvement in the Service User Panel People felt respected and that they had a voice They had a sense of acceptance Sense of inclusiveness Felt involved Indirectly therapeutic Felt their opinions were valued Part of something bigger than themselves – having a sense of purpose Opportunity to gain information and knowledge Encouragement and empathy

Opportunities presented by implementing the Mental Health Models of Care Maximise limited resources, including primary and secondary health and social care services as well as community and self-help resources locally, in London and nationally Address issues raised by range of professionals as well as those using services and carers involved in the project to create good practice and collaborative ways of working Reduce individuals’ reliance on services by enabling self- management and enabling people to address the wider social determinants of mental health issues

Opportunities presented by implementing the Mental Health Models of Care Use a personalisation approach with individuals using services - and carers – at the centre of collaborative working Implement the current mental health strategy No Health Without Mental Health Facilitate broad access by challenging stigma and discrimination and inequalities by using a wellbeing and recovery approach – evidenced by BUG Wellbeing training, enabling people to use the Wellbeing Toolkit and wellbeing workshops run for different communities by BUG Utilise the implementation tools produced via the Service User Panel

Opportunities presented by utilising the implementation tools Guidelines for GPs – building on good practice identified and addressing experiences of individuals Wellbeing Toolkit to facilitate self-management and use a broad range of resources – examples of the kinds of available resources are included in the toolkit Audit tool to measure approach of staff and services including in relation to personalisation, wellbeing and recovery approach Tool to enable individuals to measure approach of staff and services to facilitate discussion with staff

Fiona Hill Director Brent Mental Health User Group (BUG)