Developing practical social inclusion outcome measures to evidence mental health recovery
| Date | 22 February 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301311305313 |
| Published date | 22 February 2013 |
| Pages | 49-54 |
| Author | Tony Ryan,Michael Clark,Nick Dixon |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Developing practical social inclusion
outcome measures to evidence mental
health recovery
Tony Ryan, Michael Clark and Nick Dixon
Abstract
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to describe the development of a suite of social inclusion outcome
measures and how they are being applied in practice within Stockport.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper gives a description of the development approach;
the development of the measures and how the data collection systems have been established.
Findings – A suite of practical measures of social inclusion has been developed that are being used to
inform local service delivery, commissioning and service redesign with the purpose of evidencing the
effectiveness of provision in delivering social inclusion for people who have used mental health services
in Stockport.
Research limitations/implications – The paper does not contain data. It is anticipated that the data will
inform a business case for commissioning in new ways and which may be the subject of a further paper.
Practical implications – The paper describes the practical approaches that have led to the
development of the measures.
Social implications – The measures will be able to demonstrate the social impact of services for people
who use them.
Originality/value – Mental health services are striving to develop meaningful measures that are
embedded in day-to-day practice and are meaningful to people who use services. These measures and
the way they are being used in services will provide evidence to service commissioners of effectiveness
and have been signed off as such by commissioners. The outcomes framework will have implications
locally for the implementation of payment by results in mental health.
Keywords Mental health services, Social inclusion, Recovery, Outcome measures,
Sustainable outcomes, United Kingdom
Paper type General review
Introduction
Mental health and social care policy in England in recent years has espoused the need to
help people using services to recover and be more included in mainstream social life (Social
Exclusion Unit, 2004; HM Government, 2011). Crucial steps to achieve this are putting the
people who use services at the heart of everything that is done and more clearly focusing on
the outcomes they get from services, rather than only counting activity. These are not new
developments, but there is greater desire to bring them together in a more coherent way,i.e.
to identify how recovery and person-centred approaches can be more closely coupled with
and demonstrated through quality and outcome measures for services. The goals would be
ones of individuals being better supported to achieve more socially inclusive outcomes, and
of better information about what works and for whom to inform further local quality
improvement of services. Locally the measures are expected to link into the development of
payment by results (PbR), helping ensure there is a focus on recovery outcomes within the
care cluster pathways.
DOI 10.1108/20428301311305313 VOL. 17 NO. 1 2013, pp. 49-54, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAGE 49
Dr Tony Ryan is Director,
Tony Ryan Associates,
Manchester, UK, and
Honorary Research Fellow,
Centre for Mental Heath
and Society, Bangor
University, Bangor, UK.
Dr Michael Clark is a
Researcher, London School
of Economics and Political
Science, London, UK.
Nick Dixon is
Commissioning Lead,
Adult Mental Health
Services, Stockport
Metropolitan Borough
Council, Manchester, UK.
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