Care coordination in a forensic mental health setting.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An ethnographic study of care co-ordination in a forensic mental health setting.
IRAS ID
154095
Contact name
Brian Mfula
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Swansea University, Department of Research & Innovation
Research summary
An ethnographic study of care coordination in a forensic mental health setting
Forensic community mental health nurses (FCMHNs) and other designated health workers facilitate care and treatment for individuals who have mental health conditions and have committed a criminal offence or whose behaviour could lead to offending.In Wales this is a statutory requirement under the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 (Welsh Assembly Government 2010).
Care coordinators are expected to draw up a recovery focused care and treatment plan in collaboration and agreement with the relevant patient.
This study aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the care coordinator role within forensic community mental health services, with a particular focus on care planning from health worker and service user perspectives.
The study will identify care coordinator and service user insight that could be used to inform and improve future practice. It will follow an ethnographic approach which is a qualitative research method used to describe a group, culture, or community through observing and directly participating in the activities undertaken by these groups. The observation phase will be conducted over a 12 month period, for 3 days a week, during which the researcher will observe elements of care coordination. Formal interviews and analysis of care and treatment plans will follow this stage. The research site will be a medium secure unit in which the forensic community team is based.
Participants will be drawn from FCMHNs, social workers and other professionals acting as care coordinators. Service users in receipt of this service will also be included in the study.
Recruitment of workers will be conducted by the chief investigator after the observation phase, whilst recruitment of service users will be conducted through their respective care coordinators.
The study will be sponsored by Swansea University for the award of a PhD.REC name
Wales REC 7
REC reference
14/WA/1043
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jul 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion