What are Mental Health Service Users' Priorities for Research in the UK?

For which topic were research priorities identified?

mental health services

In which location was the research priority setting conducted?

Europe - United Kingdom

Why was it conducted at all?

In its strategic review of research and development in mental health, the Department of Health for England stated that: ‘‘the optimum structures and processes are now identified to ensure inclusivity and the involvement of service users in the whole research process'' (Department of Health, 2002). But despite the recent emphasis on patient involvement, and notwithstanding the increasing interest in user involvement in mental health research, little is known about service users' priorities or about ways in which users might like to influence the research agenda.

What was the objective?

to investigate service users' priorities for mental health research and compare them with established priorities

What was the outcome?

a ranking list of 14 research areas

How long did the research prioritization take?

No information provided.

Which methods were used to identify research priorities?

group discussion

How were the priorities for research identified exactly?

Step 1: small group discussions on two questions: What do you think are professional priorities for research; and what are your own priorities for research?. Step 2: content analysis and agreement

Which stakeholders took part?

Users of mental health services. 23 participants.

How were stakeholders recruited?

The conference was widely advertised throughout the area. Posters were distributed to local mental health voluntary and statutory services and all local user groups. The conference was also advertised in the news sheet of SURE.

Were stakeholders actively involved or did they just participate?

Stakeholders were mere participants of the research prioritization process; they were not actively involved in the process.