Now I have a voice: service user and carer involvement in clinical psychology training
| Pages | 190-197 |
| Date | 17 November 2011 |
| Published date | 17 November 2011 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301111186831 |
| Author | Sue Holttum,Laura Lea,Di Morris,Linda Riley,Diana Byrne |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Now I have a voice: service user and
carer involvement in clinical psychology
training
Sue Holttum, Laura Lea, Di Morris, Linda Riley and Diana Byrne
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to describe the challenges and rewards of service user and carer
involvement in clinical psychology training as experienced in one training centre.
Design/methodology/approach – After outlining the major challenges of involvement in higher
education and in clinical psychology training, the paper describes the work carried out by the authors.
Members of the service user and carer advisory group Salomons Advisory Group of Experts by
Experience (SAGE) recount their experiences of working with them in clinical psychology and Increasing
Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) training. The challenges of inclusionand specific approaches
that are used to work with these are explored.
Findings – Members of SAGE have experienced their contributions to the work in positive ways.
However, inclusion in this context requires everyone involved to fully acknowledge the social and
historical barriers in order to work together to overcome them.
Practical implications – Some of the approaches to meeting the challenges of inclusion in doctoral
level clinical training may be applicable in other places.
Social implications – In the authors’ experience, true inclusion means openness to the authoritative
voices of people not normally viewed as educators. A parallel question is the degree to which
professionals feel safe to admit to service user experience or to draw upon other aspects of their
personhood while working professionally. This may be crucialfor successful partnership.
Originality/value – The authors are still on this journey of inclusion, and hope that by sharing some of
their experiences of its complexities that they may help illuminate some elements of others’ journeys.
Keywords Service user and carer involvement, Clinical psychology training, IAPT, Inclusion,
Clinical medicine, Psychology
Paper type Research paper
The context
Towards a more equal partnership in service delivery
It is now recognized that mental health services in the UK have tended to work in ways that
are not well suited for partnership with service users, being hamstrung by ‘ ‘a framework of
risk, stigma and compulsion’’ and ‘‘a top-down risk-averse culture’’ (Future Vision Coalition,
2009, p. 27). Progress is being made, however,and it is now a requirement that service users
and carers should be involved in all aspects of healthcare planning and delivery
(Department of Health (DoH), 1999, 2000; Future Vision Coalition, 2009). The DoH also
specifies that all mental health workers should develop certain values and practices during
their pre-qualifying training (DoH, 2004). These values and practices specifically include
working in partnership with service users, and challenging inequality. The competencies
specified by Skills for Health (2009), the UK national body for healthcare training standards,
are consistent with this.
PAGE 190
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
VOL. 15 NO. 4 2011, pp. 190-197, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 DOI 10.1108/20428301111186831
Sue Holttum is a Senior
Lecturer (Research),
Laura Lea is a Coordinator
of Service User and Carer
Involvement and
Di Morris, Linda Riley, and
Diana Byrne are all
members of Salomons
Advisory Group of Experts
by experience (SAGE) at
Canterbury Christ Church
University, Canterbury,
Kent, UK.
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