Experience of admission to forensic inpatient environment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient Experiences of the Admission Process to a Secure Forensic Hospital.
IRAS ID
249411
Contact name
Amy Jackson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 6 days
Research summary
This project aims to explore how patients experience the admission process to an inpatient secure forensic hospital. The literature pertaining to the ‘voice’ of the forensic patient is growing, but, the results of a systematic literature review conducted by the Chief Investigator suggest that there are no existing studies to have specifically explored how patients experience the admission process.
Qualitative analysis of rich and detailed accounts of patients’ experiences should enable more effective evaluation of the admission process and, ideally, better facilitation in the future. Indeed, it is important that psychological research is conducted within a framework that respects “the knowledge, insight, experience and expertise” of participants (The British Psychological Society Code of Human Research Ethics; 2014, p.8). As per the UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research (National Health Service/Health Research Authority, 2017), research should improve the evidence base and lead to improvements in care. Improved care can, in turn, lead to better quality of life.
The study will recruit between 15 and 20 male participants from Burgess and Crofton wards (16 bed medium secure units for the assessment and treatment of male patients) at the Bracton Centre, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. The study will use a convenience sample initially, however if more than 20 participants are identified, purposive sampling may be used whereby patients with the most recent experience of admission will be chosen. This was chosen as an alternative to prospective participants’ ward psychologist and/or RC selecting appropriate participants themselves, which may have been a biased decision-making process.
Inclusion Criteria are: previously admitted to the Bracton Centre (under any Mental Health Act Section within the last two years; over the age of 18; deemed suitable to participate as determined by the prospective patients RC and/or ward psychologist (i.e., stable in mental state); and considered capable of giving informed consent as determined by the prospective patients RC and/or ward psychologist.
Exclusion Criteria are: diagnosis of a learning disability; considered unable to give informed consent as determined by the patients RC and/or ward psychologist; requiring an interpreter or considered not capable of fully understanding verbal/written English as determined by the patients RC and/or ward psychologist; deemed not suitable to participate for any other reason as determined by the prospective patients RC and/or ward psychologist (i.e., unstable in mental state/at risk of harm to self and/or others).
One semi-structured interview will be conducted per participant. The interviews will focus on what it is like to be admitted to a secure forensic hospital. The admission process will be defined as the day of arrival and the following few months. The cut off of the first few months was established within a Service-User Forum Meeting at Chase Farm, North London Forensic Services, in July 2018 whereby the Chief Investigator engaged in a process of consultation with six forensic inpatients concerning their views of the interview schedule. The interviews will enable prospective participants to explore: any/all aspects of their admission process (i.e., what is important to them); what they perceived as particularly helpful/positive or unhelpful/negative; and any changes they would recommend to the admission process.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0259
Date of REC Opinion
4 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion