Creating and establishing a recovery-oriented clinical psychology provision across an acute care mental health pathway. Ethical obligation and clinical reality

Abstract

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to summarise the development of a recovery-oriented and socially inclusive acute care clinical psychology service in one of the NHS Trusts based in East Anglia. It demonstrates the service's compliance with relevant national policies and guidelines, and addresses some of the criticisms directed at acute mental health care in recent years. Both achievements and difficulties are reflected on.Design/methodology/approach– The paper employs an organisational development case example related to applicable clinical practice model, based on national guidelines and policies, in order to demonstrate that it is possible to develop and implement a recovery-oriented clinical psychology practice in acute inpatient mental health care. This is based on the authors, experiences as a public sector clinical psychologists specialising in complex, severe, and enduring mental health needs.Findings– Clinical psychologists may effectively contribute to the development of psychosocially informed and recovery-based multidisciplinary attitudes towards emotional difficulties of individuals admitted to psychiatric wards.Research limitations/implications– Future service development project of similar nature ought to implement standardised measures (e.g. ward atmosphere scales) to increase validity of findings.Practical implications– Despite limited, and continuously decreasing, resources in the NHS it appears possible to develop and establish a successful and objectively replicable provision of recovery-based psychological services across an entire acute care mental health pathway.Social implications– Recovery-enhancing clinical psychology interventions should not be limited to those receiving care from community-based services only. Building psychologically informed understanding of mental health needs should be employed on inpatient wards too, in order to counterbalance the dominating biomedical models of mental illness.Originality\value– Dissemination of examples of effective psychosocial practice in acute mental health settings appears largely underrepresented.