A long and honourable history
| Date | 15 June 2012 |
| Pages | 53-59 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17556221211236448 |
| Published date | 15 June 2012 |
| Author | Alison Faulkner,Thurstine Basset |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
A long and honourable history
Alison Faulkner and Thurstine Basset
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to explore the extensive roots of peer support in mental health, and to
identify the values and principles that the authors wish to hold onto as choices are made as to how and
whether to engage with formal peer support within the National Health Service (NHS).
Design/methodology/approach – The authors attempt to cover the ground of three types of peer
support, but with an emphasis on informal peer support and participation in consumer or peer-run
groups as providing the roots for the third more formal type, which is often known as intentional peer
support (IPS).
Findings – Professionalisation of peer support may endanger the equality that lies at the root of peer
support relationships. Independence may also be compromised if peer support becomes just another
part of mainstream services. Whilst an individual/personalised approach to providing services has many
strengths, one must be careful not to remove all opportunity for service users to meet together, support
one another, plan and campaign.
Practical implications – Thefindings suggest that commissioners of services should aim for a plurality
of peer support and be careful to ensure that informal peer support is flourishing as an essential basis for
more formal peer support.
Originality/value – The paper shows that, with an increased interest in providing peer support as part
of mainstream services, it is important to stress the basic values and principles that underpin informal
service-user led peer support.
Keywords Peer support, Self help, Shared experience, Values, Mental health, Mental health services,
United Kingdom
Paper type Viewpoint
Peer support has a long and honourable history in mental health. Fellow patients and service
users have always provided invaluable support to each other, both informally and through
self-help and activist groups (Jackson, 2010, p. 14).
Peer support has become the new watchword in mental health in recent years, but the
concept has of course been around for a very long time and in many different contexts.
Sometimes called self-help or mutual support, peer support has been seen to emerge
wherever service users come together: in inpatient wards, day centres and drop-ins and in
organised service user groups. It reflects what is perhaps a natural human tendency for
people with something in common to come together, share experiences and support each
other. Coming together in adverse circumstances, as in the case of some inpatient wards,
can create a sense of camaraderie and can be more supportive than the official treatment on
offer (Walsh and Boyle, 2009; Faulkner and Layzell, 2000).
Elsewhere in this issue, the focus of discussion is largely on ‘‘intentional peer support’’ (IPS)
and the distinction is an important one. Bradstreet (2006) usefully distinguishes between three
types of peer support: informal (naturally occurring) peer support, participation in consumer
or peer-run programmes, and the use of service users as paid providers of services and
supports (or IPS). In the article quoted above, Jackson distinguishes between two versions
DOI 10.1108/17556221211236448 VOL. 7 NO. 2 2012, pp. 53-59, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1 755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE 53
Alison Faulkner is an
Independent Mental Health
Researcher, London, UK.
Thurstine Basset is an
Independent Consultant,
Basset Consultancy Ltd,
Brighton, UK.
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