It’s been a while since we’ve provided an update on progress of the National Guidance on Best Practice in Service User and Carer Engagement, but we want to assure you that work is still progressing with this. The Guidance is currently with Welsh Government and awaiting approval and for the Welsh translation to be completed.
Forum members have been working hard on finalising the framework and supporting documents which will provide additional details for different parts of the Guidance.
While we’re waiting for the documents to be finalised we wanted to answer some questions that have been asked by a number of organisations.
What is the National Guidance?
The National Guidance was commissioned by Welsh Government and developed by the Wales Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum (the Forum) to lay out standards for best practice in engagement and co-production.
What is the Framework that has been mentioned?
The framework which will work alongside the Guidance and will enable organisations to assess how well they currently engage service users and carers in their services and also help them to identify what areas they need to improve on. Forum members will be available to assist organisations with using the framework and how best they can look at improving their services.
Why is the National Guidance important?
The ultimate aim is to see the co-production of all Mental Health Services, strategies and policies where service users and carers are involved from the start of any process. The document lays out the ambition to increase opportunities for mental health service users and carers in Wales to take part in engagement activities at a range of levels as appropriate to their preference, commitment, experience and capability (with support).
What does the Guidance include?
The guidance covers 3 areas which service users, carers and organisations feel could be improved when working in together to design and improve services. The 3 areas included are:
Engagement, Recruitment and Rewards.
The guidance outlines the minimum standard expected of all organisations and partnerships making decisions about mental health. It promotes best practice in the recruitment of service users and carers into roles where they are able to have a voice. The contents of the Guidance covers basic governance including terms of office, number of service users and carers included in meetings, training for service users, carers and staff, support and development of representatives, including peer support, developing an ethical framework and aspirations
Who is the National Guidance relevant for?
This guidance applies to all organisations who work with service users and carers to make decisions in relation to mental health care. This includes all organisations, agencies and partnerships which either deliver services directly or which influence them. This applies to all the organisations and partnerships in Wales in all sectors which provide mental health services or make decisions related to mental health. The guidance is based on experiences of service user and carer engagement within adult services. However, much of it would be equally applicable to children’s services.
What support can the forum provide me with to implement the Guidance?
Forum members can work with your organisation to enable you to start developing your own framework and assess how well your organisation currently involves service users and carers and help to develop an action plan. We also have a new Implementation and training project support staff member who can help to arrange the support and also arrange for the forum to deliver our Co-production training to your staff.
How can I find out more about getting our organisation involved with this work?
To find out more about the National Guidance and how we could support your organisation to adopt the Guidance contact: Practice Solutions on 01443 742374 or mhforum@practicesolutions-ltd.co.uk or complete our enquiry form on this website.