User participation

In June 2005 it became mandatory for psychiatric trainees to receive training directly from people who experience mental health problems and their carers. This will be checked on approval visits to all training schemes, and accreditation may be withheld until this aspect of training is in place.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a mental health carers’ research reference group on mental health research in the Heart of England region. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology was a co-produced participatory evaluation, and the research was co-produced by the group. The design involved a literature review of carers’ involvement in UK mental health research, and collection of secondary data (group records) and primary data from researchers, group members, and facilitators. Analysis was initially thematic, then synthesised.

In this film academics, policy makers, service users and carers describe their hopes for the future development of user and carer participation in social work education in this film. This includes developing further ways for users and carers to participate in the degree and ensuring there is consistency in participation across all higher education institutions. The film will be of potential interest to social worker educators, students on social work courses, people working more broadly in co-production/participation and service users and carers.

This updated briefing looks at benefit changes that can make it easier for service users and carers to get involved in paid participation for social care consultations and events. It includes details of changes to simplify the process secured through legislation in 2009 and further legislative changes in 2013 and 2014.