The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

Sandra Cleminson; Aidan Moesby

2013 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221311307989

Purpose – Service user involvement in higher education is now an expectation, with university learning and teaching strategies ensuring it is a priority. Service users have highlighted the importance of collaborative working and the sharing of their experience. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate an example of how lived experience of mental illness can be used to increase students' awareness of the impact of this and to offer indicators of how they can respond more effectively by following the professional philosophy of client‐centred practice. By involving a service user on an occupational therapy programme, it was expected that students would benefit from the narrative of a service user's experience of mental illness. Design/methodology/approach – This paper illustrates the experience of collaborative working between a service user and university lecturer, which progressed beyond the telling of the narrative to include more active involvement and the opportunity to influence students' thinking. Findings – The reported benefits for the service user included feeling valued and a sense of empowerment. Originality/value – The paper concludes that collaborative working can increase involvement, which promotes recovery for service users and allows learning to be more directly influenced by what service users want from health care professionals.

Helen Wood; Laura Lea; Sue Holttum

2013 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221311307998

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the interface between the professional and personal, and particularly personal realities reflected in the Equality Act (2010), within a clinical psychology training context. Design/methodology/approach – An innovative action research process involving discussions, seminars and focus groups. The first author was a trainee on the programme and had been an informal carer. The other two authors are programme staff with service user experience. In the cycle presented here, six staff members and 14 trainees attended five 50‐minute reflective group sessions. Data were collected by focus group and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – Participants voiced continuing uncertainty about the personal‐professional interface alongside increased understanding of ways to enact it. Parenthood, class and mental health were identified as important domains and competition between these emerged as a theme. Research limitations/implications – The reflective groups and focus group have contributed to a process of change in relation to service user involvement and trainee learning. Transferability of the findings to other programmes is discussed and further research is required. Practical implications – The authors would advocate for partnerships between trainees, staff and service users as a means of learning, researching and change within mental health training. Originality/value – The authors are unaware of any other similar work: the unusual collaboration by the authors, the use of action research and the adoption of reflective groups within the process is unique.

Andrew Newman

2013 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221311308005

Purpose – The number of mental health professionals able to prescribe has, for a number of years, reached beyond medics, but UK clinical psychologists are not yet permitted to train to prescribe. The purpose of this paper is to ask if prescribing could be part of the clinical psychologist's role. Design/methodology/approach – This article lays out three core areas of discussion: what was the drive for non‐medical prescribing? Could psychologists be trained to prescribe? Could prescribing be another tool for psychologists? Currently, UK clinical psychologists are not able to prescribe unless they have an additional qualification as a medic, pharmacist or nurse. This paper ends by considering the position of a clinical psychologist who is also a registered nurse and wonders about the pros and cons of training to prescribe. Findings – It was argued that clinical clinical psychologists who are also registered nurses are best placed and currently perhaps the only clinical psychologists able to train to prescribe. The author questioned his motives for considering training to prescribe and looked at the risks in prescribing. Originality/value – The author is unsure if he wants to pursue prescribing privileges but makes no objection to clinical psychologists prescribing.

Nicole Shepherd; Thomas Meehan

2013 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221311308014

Purpose – Support workers who provide in‐home support to people with psychiatric disability are becoming a significant part of the mental health workforce. Research is needed to establish the optimum level and content of training they need to effectively carry out their role. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports on this paper is to draw on the results of a survey of 104 support workers and interviews with 18 support workers and eight managers in Queensland, Australia, who provide in‐home support for people with psychiatric disability. The authors describe the training undertaken by these workers and their perceptions of the adequacy of this training in relation to the challenges of their work. Findings – The majority of support workers felt they had adequate training, though many expressed the desire to know more about mental illness symptoms, medications and the concept of recovery. Support workers nominated motivating their clients and managing challenging behaviour as the most difficult aspect of the job. Future training offered to these workers needs to focus on increasing knowledge about mental illness and the concept of recovery, and supporting them in their work with clients who have low levels of motivation and/or challenging behaviours. Access to professional supervision may also be of benefit. Originality/value – This paper adds to knowledge about the training needs of support workers who provide in‐home support to people with psychiatric disability. These findings will be useful for practitioners and decision makers who are considering the training needs of this group.

Abigail Nelson; Carrie Shockley

2013 The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice

doi: 10.1108/17556221311308023

Purpose – Mental health frontline workers can and do provide fundamental support in the wellness of people with serious mental illness. The City University of New York offered a non‐credit Certificate in Wellness Coaching to this group. The purpose of this paper is to describe the certificate and the program outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data collected through course evaluations, reports, and observations to describe perceptions of personal and professional usefulness and applicability, as well as challenges. Findings – Participants reported using wellness concepts personally and professionally and perceived personal development in communication and leadership. Participants and faculty identified internal and external supports and barriers to transitioning into the role of wellness coach. Originality/value – The paper presents a replicable model which taught frontline workers wellness concepts that benefit themselves and consumers and helped participants identify ways to expand capacity within their mental health agencies.