A New Model for Youth Mental Health - opinions of key stakeholders
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Care pathways, current support and unmet mental health neeeds of young people in an urban UK environment
IRAS ID
173658
Contact name
Paul Patterson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
This project aims to develop an in-depth understanding of the key local issues related to difficulties in engagement with services for young people who are vulnerable to or experiencing mental health difficulties, from the perspective of relevant stakeholders including service users, young people; carers, parents and professional staff.
Mental health problems can start at an early age and many persist into adult life unless properly treated. 50% of lifetime mental illness (except dementia) begins by age 14 and up to two thirds of school-age young people who may have diagnosable mental health difficulties are not being offered an appropriate intervention at the time the problems first emerge. Alongside this, Birmingham is significantly poorer than the national average for ‘hospital admissions for mental health conditions’ and ‘hospital stays for self-harm’ (Public Health England, 2012, 2013). Birmingham is also about to launch a new model of mental health service provision for young people across the region yet the views of key stakeholder groups has not been systematically evaluated.
This project will obtain the views of key stakeholders in the region on factors associated with delays in identification and engagement of young people experiencing mental ill health and their carers to help establish how changes in information provision, engagement practices and communication methods could provide the greatest benefits to stakeholders within a new service model. There will be a particular emphasis on whether stakeholders feel that digital technology can provide appropriate additional support for this age group and the services that they interface with.
The study will implement a comprehensive series of interviews with representative groups of key stakeholders. A mixed methods approach will be taken to data collection, including semi-structured interviews on engagement and experience of services; friends & families test; basic demographic data and suggested priorities for any new service model.
Findings will have relevance to the implementation of any new model of mental health service for young people in Birmingham and the west midlands and will help to capture stakeholder priorities for how best to create effective care pathways that involve both preventative/educational support and targeted interventions where appropriate.
REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
15/IEC08/0014
Date of REC Opinion
2 Mar 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion