Abstract
BackgroundPatient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) is recognised as an essential part of health research. In addition to providing an opportunity for patients to shape health research and acquire research skills, in the inpatient mental health setting, PPIE may have additional value in providing meaningful activity and enhancing recovery, as defined using connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment (CHIME) principles. However, there have been challenges in applying PPIE principles in secure mental health inpatient settings. An eight -session PPIE programme (“Discovery Group”) was designed to support patient-led research in a secure mental health hospital. This feasibility study aims to evaluate the acceptability of the programme from the perspective of patients and identify potential outcomes.MethodsA retrospective single-arm post-programme evaluation of Discovery Group was undertaken. Participants attended an evaluation workshop where they were interviewed individually to complete an acceptability questionnaire designed using the domains of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Participants also completed an outcomes questionnaire, which included CHIME-based recovery items, and were invited to share their ideas for programme improvement on posters. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Direct content analysis was applied to qualitative data.ResultsIn our sample, eight participants attended at least one session of the discovery group with one patient attending all sessions. Most of the participants felt positive about taking part in the group and expressed interest in joining another group in future. All participants experienced some burden from the effort required during group sessions, but a low level of opportunity cost in terms of the extent to which they perceived they had to forfeit benefits to participate in the programme.. Some described the group as effective in helping them learn about research. Of the five CHIME recovery domains, only connectedness was reported as a benefit of the group. The participants valued the opportunity to use their time well and demonstrate that they were undertaking purposeful activity as part of their rehabilitation and recovery.ConclusionsDiscovery Group is a tool to overcome barriers to effective PPIE in research in a secure inpatient mental health setting. The programme has a high level of acceptability among participants and offered several potential outcomes which require testing through further study.
Highlights
Patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) is recognised as an essential part of health research
The programme has a high level of acceptability among participants and offered several potential outcomes which require testing through further study
Plain English Summary Patients make an important contribution to research. It can be hard for patients in a secure mental health hospital to be involved in doing research
Summary
Patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) is recognised as an essential part of health research. Barriers to facilitating PPIE in secure mental health services include researcher difficulties in gaining entry to a secure building and accessing patients; failure to meet communication and literacy needs of patients [6, 17]; a large power gap between researcher and patient; lack of patient training in research skills and unresolved tensions between researchers and staff about risk management and security [17] Despite these barriers, and beyond the direct benefits for researchers and the research itself, PPIE can provide patients with personal benefits such as: the acquisition of research knowledge and skills, opportunities to work with others, and increased confidence [6, 17]. We hypothesise that these benefits may contribute to patient recovery
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
