Making peer-focused self-management programmes work in public mental health
| Published date | 10 September 2018 |
| Date | 10 September 2018 |
| Pages | 257-263 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-08-2017-0052 |
| Author | Emily Satinsky,David Crepaz-Keay,Antonis Kousoulis |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Making peer-focused self-management
programmes work in public mental health
Emily Satinsky, David Crepaz-Keay and Antonis Kousoulis
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to review the Mental Health Foundation’s experiences designing,
implementing and evaluating peer-focused self-management programmes. Through a discussion of barriers
and good practice, it outlines ways to be successful in making such projects work to improve mental health
and wellbeing among at-risk populations.
Design/methodology/approach –A total of 11 Mental Health Foundation programmes implemented
over the past ten years were reviewed through reading manuals and publications and interviewing
programme managers. Key data were extracted from each programme to analyse trends in aims, outcomes
and recommendations.
Findings –Through a focus on peer-work, programmes taught individuals from a variety of societal sectors
self-management skills to effectively deal with life stressors. Through sharing in non-judgmental spaces
and taking ownership of programme design and content, individuals realised improvementsin wellbeing and
goal achievement.
Practical implications –Good practice, barriers and recommendations can be taken from this review and
applied to future peer-focused self-management programmes. By better embedding quantitative and
qualitative evaluations into programme development and implementation, programmes can add to the
evidence base and effectively target needs.
Originality/value –This review lays out valuable experience on an innovative community service paradigm
and supports the evidence on effectiveness of peer-focused self-management programmes with a variety of
group populations.
Keywords Wellbeing, Mental health, Peer support, Peer mentoring, Self-management,
Programme development
Paper type General review
Background
Developed countries recognise mental health as a key health improvement target and an asset to
communities and individuals. However, psychiatric and mental health services are increasingly
stretched and face limited resources (Karasouli and Adams, 2014). In this context, programmes
are frequently shifted towards self-management to support populations at risk of mental ill-health
due to exposure to or distribution of social and health inequalities (Kousoulis and Goldie, 2017;
Semenza et al., 2008). Self-management programmes can play a significant role in promoting
wellbeing and preventing mental illness. The added element of peer support, and its potential
benefits in supplementing informal services and community work, has recently enhanced the
recovery model (Mahlke et al., 2014), whereby, individuals living with or at risk of mental ill-health
develop positive attitudes and new meaning and purpose in their lives (Deegan, 2003). In this
overview paper, we outline key terms by distinguishing between the types of self-management;
reflect on our direct implementation experience over the past ten years; and lay out best practice,
barriers and recommendations for what it takes to make these types of programmes successful.
Terminology
Through self-management programmes, agency is transferred from a clinician or peer to the
patient or participant. Individuals with chronic mental or physical health conditions develop skills
Received 22 August 2017
Revised 27 October 2017
Accepted 30 April 2018
The Mental Health Foundation
would like to acknowledge
everyone who participated in
interviews concerning included
and excluded programmes, and
everyone who took part in
discussions of the peer-focused
self-management manual and the
Theory of Change model. Each
individual project pilot had been
funded by a charitable grant.
However, no additional external
funding contributed to this paper.
The authors are employees of the
Mental Health Foundation. They
declare no other competing
interests.
Emily Satinsky is Public Mental
Health Research Assistant at
the Mental Health Foundation,
London, UK; and is at Institute
of Psychiatry, Psychology, and
Neuroscience, King’s College
London, London, UK and
London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine,
London, UK.
David Crepaz-Keay is Head of
Empowerment and Social
Inclusion at the Mental Health
Foundation, London, UK.
Antonis Kousoulis is based at
the Mental Health Foundation,
London, UK.
DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-08-2017-0052 VOL. 13 NO. 5 2018, pp. 257-263, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
PAGE257
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