Abstract

The need for mental health system innovation has been identified by people using mental health services. The latest government guidelines (2016 NICE review, no DOI) identifies multiple problems with community-based mental health service users, e.g. low involvement in decisions, inadequate respect, insufficient involvement of family and carers, and limited support for self-care. The situation is no better for hospital-based care: a 2019 review of 56 studies investigating detention in hospital found a frequent theme of fear and distress (https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2019.19). This picture is reinforced by service user group reports, e.g. “Rather than help us heal ourselves…mental health services break us even more” (NSUN, 2018, no DOI). UK leaders agree that there have been no significant breakthroughs in medications, psychological approaches or service models in the past 30 years (https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796016000147). The UN Human Rights Council conclude ‘the status quo…is no longer defensible’ (2017, A/HRC/35/21, no DOI) and identify the need for ‘a focus on relationships and social connection, which demands structural interventions in society’ (2019, A/HRC/41/34). The emerging ‘recovery’ approach is addressing this challenge, which places the ‘lived experience’ of citizens with mental health problems as central. INVOLVEMENT APPROACHES Advertising through project partner networks, and traditional and social media. BENEFITS Participation benefits will be a focus in the WP1.3 conceptual framework, providing clarity about anticipated benefits. These are likely to align with findings from e.g. environmental citizen science projects (2016 UKEOF report, no DOI) as including improving one’s mental health, contributing to scientific knowledge, learning something new and sharing knowledge. WP2 and WP3 will be structured to maximise these benefits.