Psychiatrists’ views on recovery colleges
Published date | 12 March 2018 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-05-2017-0037 |
Date | 12 March 2018 |
Pages | 90-99 |
Author | Rachael Collins,Tom Shakespeare,Lucy Firth |
Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Psychiatrists’views on recovery colleges
Rachael Collins, Tom Shakespeare and Lucy Firth
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the views and attitudes that psychiatrists have
about recovery colleges (RCs).
Design/methodology/approach –Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten psychiatrists from
the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust.
Findings –Psychiatrists had a strong concept of the RC model, and were broadly positive about it,
recognising many benefits. Various challenges were also acknowledged including how the RC model
interacts with the medical model.
Originality/value –This is the first known study to explore solely the psychiatrists’views of RCs, a group
who are likely to be particularly influential within services. The sample was relatively unexposed to RCs,
enabling insight into how the RC is perceived by those outside of its functioning as well as the state of wider
organisational support, which is important for the success of RCs.
Keywords Mental health, Recovery college, attitudes, Recovery, Psychiatrist
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Recovery
Mental health ser vices are increas ingly committed t o being “recovery focussed”.Thismeans
implementing approaches that foster hope, give people back control over their lives, help them
to develop valued ro les and relationshi ps as well as finding meaning and purpose ( Meddings,
Campbell, Guglietti, Lambe, Locks, Byrne and Whittington, 2015). Services are required to
move beyond a merely symptom reduction approach to a broader recovery approach
(Meddings , Campbell, Guglietti, Lambe, Locks, Byrne and Whittington, 2015a; Perkins and
Slade 2012), which is now required by mental health policy (Department of Health, 2011).
Implementing Recovery through Organisational Change (IMROC) is an initiative delivered by
the Department of Hea lth that provides gu idance and structur e for organisation s to become
recovery focussed (Perkins et al., 2017; Shepherd et al., 2010) and state that major
organisational c hanges are required for organisation s to achieve this (Perk ins et al., 2012).
Shepherd et al. (2010) identified ten organisational challenges required to become recovery
focussed, includ ing shifting from r educing symptoms to rebuilding live s, a shift from
professionals “on top”to “on tap”and recognit ion of the equal va lue of lived exper ience
and professional expertise. It can be argued that recovery colleges (RCs) embody all
these values and are therefore a driving force behind truly recovery-orientated services
(Perkins et al., 2012).
What are RCs?
Recovery education centres were developed in the USA and subsequently emerged in the UK
first in South West London in 2009 (Hans, 2013) and then Nottingham in 2011 (Perkins et al.,
2012; McGregor et al., 2014). They have grown rapidly due to popular demand (Perkins and
Repper, 2017; Perkins et al., 2012) and there are currently 40 RCs in the world, mainly in
England, but also in Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Australia, Japan and Singapore (Perkins and Repper,
2017; Meddings, McGregor, Roeg and Shepherd, 2015).
Received 27 May 2017
Revised 6 July 2017
Accepted 17 October 2017
Rachael Collins is based at the
Norwich Medical School,
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sciences, University of
East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Tom Shakespeare is a
Professor of Disability Research
at the Norwich Medical School,
Faculty of Medicine and Health
Sciences, University of East
Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Lucy Firth is based at Fresh
Start –New Beginnings:
Treatment Service for Child
Sexual Abuse, Ipswich, UK.
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THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
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VOL. 13 NO. 2 2018, pp.90-99, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-05-2017-0037
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