Community Health Networks
Improving community health networks for people with severe mental illness: a case study investigation
This is a mixed methods study examining how people with severe mental illness build and use ‘community health networks’ to support their health and well being. We are looking at all aspects of community networks, including social and personal resources as well as the use of health and social care services. We are seeking to understand how individuals and organisations interconnect to support physical and mental health for people with ‘severe mental illness’.
Data collection is taking place on two sites - London and South Devon. We have conducted a baseline policy and literature review, interviewed a range of managers and practitioners about their role and their organisations role in resource provision and network links, and we have begun recruitment of GP practices through which we will interview 150 people who use mental health services to identify how their networks generate health and well being benefits or problems. We have developed our data collection tools and process which includes a visual tool to map social networks and a questionnaire to capture health and wellbeing resources.
The community health network model emerging from the research will be tested in a third site, Plymouth, to see how far experiences described in the first two sites apply elsewhere. Practice guidance tools and resources for practitioners will be produced to help improve the community health networks of people with severe mental illness.
Project blog
Visit the blog for the study to find out more: www.communityhealthnetworks.wordpress.com
You can sign up for project updates and blogposts by emailing networks@rethink.org
Project researchers
Vanessa Pinfold
John Larsen
Chris Griffiths
Daryl Sweet
Collaborators
Dr Richard Byng, Peninsula School of Medicine and Dentistry
Dr Josip Car, Imperial College London
Dr John Carpenter, Bristol University
Dr Louise Howard, St George's Hospital Medical School and Kingston University
Dr Martin Webber, Kings College London
Prof Peter Huxley, Swansea University
Dr Micheal Phelan, Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Trust
Funded by
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) Programme.
Project to report in
2013
