We firmly believe that service users, people with lived experience, must be involved in the mental health system at all stages and levels if we want to continually improve our services.
A key theme in the current national mental health policy, ‘Sharing the Vision’, is the right of mental health service users to be centrally involved in their own care and recovery. Having service users involved at all levels of the mental health system, and ensuring they can contribute to policy and planning, has always been a priority for the MHC.
We have a Stakeholder Forum, whose members are people with lived experience of mental health services. We want the views and feedback of these 'experts by experience' to help us in our work.
Involving service users in drafting our reports, discussion papers, consultations and reviews gives insight into what these experts by experience value and need in inpatient mental health services. Service users can help us identify areas that are working well, as well areas that need improvement.
Importantly, listening to and taking the advice and input of service users helps ensure that services meet people's needs better/ This in turn leads to higher quality mental health services.
Since the MHC was established we have consistently sought the views of service users and will continue to do so.
Our inspection teams speak to service users during inspections of approved centres, and also give them a questionnaires. The Inspection teams also meet representatives from the Irish Advocacy Network at each inspection. The teams also hold a more comprehensive meeting with the Advocacy Network every year to discuss key issues from a service user perspective.
Service users and members of the public are welcome to get in touch with the MHC at any time with a concern about a mental health service. We consider and acted upon concerns immediately during the next inspection of an approved centre. Click here to find out more about reporting an issue of concern.
We will also consult service users when developing and reviewing standards. For example we get the views of service users during various public consultations including:
- developing national standards for adult safeguarding
- conducting reviews of patient safety incidents
- developing a seclusion and physical restraint reduction strategy
Recently we asked for the views of service users in developing of the MHC Strategy, ‘Supporting Change’ 2023 to 2027.’ We also consulted patient groups when the updating our guide for people who are involuntary detained.
The MHC Board regularly seeks presentations from interested groups so we can hear from service users and use this as input to our work. The Executive of the MHC took in several public meetings across the country in 2019 and 2020.
