The double hazard in recovery journey: The experiences of UK Chinese users of mental health services

Background: The recent interest in recovery from mental health problems has not meaningfully addressed the perspectives of ethnic minorities. Aim: To contribute to the discussion of recovery-oriented service with a study on the experience of Chinese people using UK mental health services. Methods: In-depth life history interviews were carried out with the users. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes emerged as hindrances to personal recovery: (1) language difficulty creates hurdles, (2) diagnostic label is experienced as a double-edged sword, (3) treatment-related stigma and (dis)empowerment are identified, and (4) grievances are found in hospitalisation. Discussion: Having mental illness and being an ethnic minority in the UK experienced double hazard in their recovery journey. While the deprivation of agency and the stigma process in the health care system hinders their recovery, they are further disadvantaged by their ethnic minority status. Four pointers for service improvement, that apply to Chinese users in the United Kingdom and have general implications for users beyond this group, are proposed.

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Recovery Star: validating user recovery

The Psychiatrist ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.111.034264 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 45-50 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Geoff Dickens ◽

Judy Weleminsky ◽

Yetunde Onifade ◽

Philip Sugarman

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Service Providers ◽

Mental Health Recovery ◽

Addictive Behaviour ◽

Health Service Providers ◽

The Uk

Aims and methodMental Health Recovery Star is a multifaceted 10-item outcomes measure and key-working tool that has been widely adopted by service providers in the UK. We aimed to explore its factorial validity, internal consistency and responsiveness. Recovery Star readings were conducted twice with 203 working-age adults with moderate to severe mental health problems attending a range of mental health services, and a third time with 113 of these individuals.ResultsMental Health Recovery Star had high internal consistency and appeared to measure an underlying recovery-oriented construct. Results supported a valid two-factor structure which explained 48% of variance in Recovery Star ratings data. Two Recovery Star items (‘relationships’ and ‘addictive behaviour’) did not load onto either factor. There was good statistically significant item responsiveness, and no obvious item redundancy. Data for a small number of variables were not normally distributed and the implications of this are discussed.Clinical implicationsRecovery Star has been received enthusiastically by both mental health service providers and service users. This study provides further evidence for its adoption in recovery-focused mental health services and indicates that items relating to addictive behaviour, responsibilities and work could be further developed in future.

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Children and Young People's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies: inspiring innovation or more of the same?

BJPsych Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.114.047118 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 57-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sami Timimi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Young People ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Psychological Therapies ◽

Common Mental Health Problems ◽

Uk Government ◽

The Uk

SummaryIn 2007 the UK Government announced a substantial expansion of funding for psychological therapies for those presenting with common mental health problems. This ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) project was widely welcomed, however, evidence backed, economic, and conceptual critiques were voiced from the start and the project remains controversial. In 2011, the UK government announced it was extending the IAPT project to encompass services for children and young people with the aim of ‘transforming’ the way mental health services are delivered to them. Here I critically reflect on the problems associated first with IAPT and then with CYP-IAPT and ponder whether CYP-IAPT is significantly different to the problematic adult IAPT project or more of the same.

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Mental Health Services for Youth

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/00048677309159767 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 309-312

Author(s):

W. Warren

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United Kingdom ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Psychiatric Services ◽

Narrow Scope ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Set Up

This paper discusses some of the mental health problems that occur among Youth, and some of the services that have been set up to deal with them in the United Kingdom. While fairly widespread, they are limited through their rather narrow scope. Some of the difficulties encountered are pointed out, including shortages of trained man-power. Suggestions are made on what further could be done to widen these services. It is realised, however, that what is applicable to one country is not necessarily so to another. Psychiatric services especially for adolescents are nevertheless spreading. Can Adolescent Psychiatry yet qualify as another sub-specialty in psychiatry?

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Mental Health Services in Transition: the United States and the United Kingdom

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.161.5.589 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 161 (5) ◽

pp. 589-593 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

James Raftery

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Community Care ◽

The United States ◽

The Past ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

The Us ◽

The Uk

Mental health services are of interest not only because of the large burden they impose, but also because they have been subject to more change than virtually any other type of health service over the past four decades. Although both the US and UK have taken to ‘deinstitutionalisation’ with enthusiasm, the US has so far proceeded somewhat further down that road than the UK. While both countries face similar problems, the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 may now lead to considerable further changes in the UK.

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Developing Joint Approaches to Transition Strategy Between Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists and Adult Psychiatrists in the UK

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.192 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S43-S43

Author(s):

B. Jacobs

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Young People ◽

Health Services ◽

Transition Services ◽

Child And Adolescent ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Transition Strategy ◽

Competing Interest ◽

The Uk

Transition for young people from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services often creates considerable disquiet for young people and their families in the United Kingdom. There are examples of good services. However, this is a longstanding problem. Professionals know what to do but solutions have been difficult to implement. There is no single solution because services differ across the country. The question becomes how to understand the difficulties of establishing good transition services. What needs to change to achieve this? This presentation will try to address some of these issues.Disclosure of interestThe author declares that he has no competing interest.

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GP perceptions of community-based children’s mental health services in Pennine Lancashire: a qualitative study

BJGP Open ◽

10.3399/bjgpopen20x101075 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. bjgpopen20X101075

Author(s):

Alice Kate Lambert ◽

Alison Jayne Doherty ◽

Neil Wilson ◽

Umesh Chauhan ◽

Dushyanthan Mahadevan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Children’S Mental Health ◽

Children's Mental Health ◽

Children's Mental Health Services ◽

Children’S Mental Health Services ◽

Referral Criteria ◽

The Uk

BackgroundGP satisfaction with specialist Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is often reported as low in the UK, and internationally.AimTo explore GP perceptions of local children’s mental health services and to understand their experiences of a novel GP-attached Primary Mental Health Worker (PMHW) service.Design & settingQualitative research involving GPs in Pennine Lancashire.MethodSemi-structured face-to-face interviews of GPs (n = 9) were carried out. Thematic analysis was undertaken.ResultsThemes identified included: 1) The role of the GP: most GPs perceived their role to be signposting and referring patients with mental health issues to specialist services, rather than offering care directly; 2) Clarity on help available: GPs were unclear about specialist CAMHS referral criteria and alternative resources available. GPs experienced communication challenges with specialist CAMHS; 3) Getting advice and support: PMHWs enabled GPs to have informal discussions, and to seek advice about children. Some GPs felt they could recognise problems earlier and were able to access help more quickly; and 4) Development needs: some GPs felt they required increased training in supporting children with mental health problems, and identified a need for further collaboration with schools and specialist CAMHS.ConclusionThe study identified challenges that GPs face with accessing and utilising specialist CAMHS. GPs who had PMHWs based in their practices expressed increased satisfaction with these services. GP-attached PMHWs can potentially reduce the challenges faced by GPs in primary care by offering timely and accessible advice, and improving access to specialist CAMHS.

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Mind the gap: the interface between child and adult mental health services

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.29.8.292 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 29 (8) ◽

pp. 292-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Swaran P. Singh ◽

Navina Evans ◽

Lester Sireling ◽

Helen Stuart

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Full Time ◽

Adult Mental Health ◽

Adult Services ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Audit Commission ◽

The Uk

Adolescents with mental health problems are poorly served by mental health services, since responsibility for care often falls between child and adult services. Within the UK, there is no consensus on how service boundaries should be delineated. Some services use an age cut-off at some point between 16 and 18 years, whereas others consider child services to be appropriate only for those in full-time education. The Audit Commission (1999) reported that nationally 29% of health authorities commissioned child and adolescent mental health services for young people before their 16th birthday only, although adult services were not considered suitable for those under 17 years old. The report highlighted the poor development of adolescent services and their inadequate links with other agencies, including adult mental health services.

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Mental health services in primary care

International Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/s1749367600000886 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 3-3 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

David Skuse

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Royal College ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

The Uk ◽

Models Of Service Delivery ◽

Enormous Number

In the UK, only 13% of people with long-term mental health problems are in employment, compared with 35% generally of people with a disability (Royal College of General Practitioners, 2005). Nearly 2.6 million individuals receive incapacity benefit and/or severe disability allowance and, of these, close to 1 million are claiming incapacity benefit due to mental ill health. The management of this enormous number of people – providing support to them and helping them get back into employment – is an issue that cannot be addressed adequately by our specialist mental health services. Accordingly, other models of service delivery need to be considered. The three thematic papers in this issue look at this issue from the perspective of three highly contrasting societies.

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