Barriers to attendance at Recovery Colleges

Date14 November 2016
Published date14 November 2016
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-08-2016-0025
Pages238-246
AuthorElizabeth Anne Dunn,Jessica Chow,Sara Meddings,Lissa June Haycock
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion
Barriers to attendance at
Recovery Colleges
Elizabeth Anne Dunn, Jessica Chow, Sara Meddings and Lissa June Haycock
Elizabeth Anne Dunn is a
Trainee Clinical Psychologist at
the Salomons Centre for
Applied Psychology,
Canterbury Christ Church
University, Royal Tunbridge
Wells, UK and GFF, Hove, UK.
Jessica Chow is based at
Sussex Recovery College,
Sussex Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust, Hove, UK.
Sara Meddings is based at
Department of Education and
Training, Sussex Partnership
NHS Foundation Trust,
Hove, UK and ImROC,
Nottingham, UK.
Lissa June Haycock is based at
Southdown Housing
Association, Lewes, UK.
Abstract
Purpose The purposeof this paper is to explore what affectsattendance at Recovery College,what students
who have missed classesperceive to be the barriers to attendance and suggestions for improvement.
Design/methodology/approach Survey of 16 students who have missed Recovery College classes.
Findings The most common reasons for non-attendance were personal factors associated with physical
illness; competing commitments or life events; and worries about other students and anxiety. Recovery
College factors included inconvenient location, time or date of the course and poor communication from the
college. Students found individual learning plans (ILPs) helpful and that they improved attendance.
Recommendations are made to improve attendance through clearer information and communication; ILPs,
text reminders before classes and phone calls from tutors if students miss classes.
Originality/value Many services are looking at how to become more cost effective improving attendance
is one such way. This paper offers an analysis of barriers to attendance and makes recommendations about
how attendance can be improved.
Keywords Recovery College, Education, Attendance
Paper type Research paper
Introduction and background
Recovery Colleges deliver courses that are co-produced by peer trainers, who are experts by
lived experience and mental health professionals who are experts by work experience (Perkins
et al., 2012). They use an educational strengths-based approach to recovery; encouraging
people to recognise their strengths, skills and aspirations; and gain autonomy of their recovery
process and lives (McGregor et al., 2014; Perkins et al., 2012).
The Recovery College which took part in this study is a partnership between an NHS Trust and
third sector providers. The Recovery College offers courses to adults with mental health
difficulties, their families, carers and professionals within a mixed urban and rural area of England.
The importance of improving attendance
Whilst there is little evidence from controlled trials, audits and evaluations demonstrate that
Recovery Colleges can help people progress with personal recovery goals; return to work and
education; improve their wellbeing and quality of life, and potentially use services less (Meddings
et al., 2015a). Rinaldi et al. (2011) found that attendance mediated outcomes attending
70 per cent of a course was associated with improved recovery and lower service use.
Non-attendance is a common problem within physical and mental health services, with
implications for efficiency and wasted resources (Hawker, 2007; Sparr et al., 1993). Reducing
non-attendance (DNAs) can reduce service costs, improve efficiency and lessen the disparity
Many thanks to all the students
who participated in this project
and to Jane McGregor who
supported the development of this
paper. Thanks also to the student
representatives, peer trainers,
clinicians, managers and
researchers from the Recovery
College Research, Audit and
Evaluation team; and the local
campus steering groups.
PAGE238
j
MENTALHEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 20 NO. 4 2016, pp. 238-246, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/MHSI-08-2016-0025

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