Recovery is an increasingly popular concept and philosophy in mental health circles and rightly so. Many of us who have direct experience of suffering from a mental health condition extol the virtues of an educational self management approach that helps individuals to take responsibility for themselves. This kind of approach can help us develop the right kind of strategies to recognise resilience and move beyond mental health services to participate more fully in society.
There is an increasing body of evidence about mental health recovery, much of it from the ImROC project (Implementing Recovery through Organisational Change) run by the Centre for Mental Health and NHS Confederation.
This project has now produced it’s third report called ‘Recovery, Public Mental Health and Wellbeing’ which sets out the ways that health care providers, those using or working in mental health services, voluntary groups, commissioners of services, colleagues in public health and those with a role, or potential role, on Health and Wellbeing Boards, can support recovery through the development of public health and community based approaches.
Public mental health is about understanding how factors like social position, occupation, income, housing, education and employment influence people’s mental health, including their chances of recovery.
The briefing paper presents a joined-up vision for community and public health organisations and agencies covering everything from housing and employment to social justice and personalisation. It concludes by presenting 12 opportunities for health and wellbeing boards to support recovery-oriented commissioning.
Jed Boardman, Co-author, member of the ImROC Team and Consultant Psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, said:
The lack of opportunity to participate in your community is a barrier to recovery from mental ill-health. Social inclusion is important for the recovery of people who have mental health problems.
New developments in public mental health can improve these opportunities by placing mental health and recovery at the heart of the commissioning process. This would enable individuals to be part of, and contribute to, our communities.
Readers with an interest in this topic should check out the full list of recovery publications on the Centre for Mental Health website.
Link
Recovery, Public Mental Health and Wellbeing (PDF). Centre for Mental Health and NHS Confederation, 24 Oct 2012.
