Impact of Service Provision on Mental Health and Substance (Mis)use
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Falling Through the Cracks: Using Constructivist Grounded Theory to Explore How Service Provision Impacts Experiences of Those with Co-Occurring Mental Health Difficulties and Problems with Substance Use
IRAS ID
298969
Contact name
Jade Weston
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hertfordshire
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 1 days
Research summary
The proposed study will explore how service provision in Luton and Bedfordshire impacts the experiences of people with co-occurring mental health difficulties and problems with substance use. There has not been any published research identified specifically investigating how service provision impacts the experiences of individuals with co-occurring substance (mis)use and mental health difficulties. Understanding the impact of structural contexts, such as service commissioning, care pathways and policy on individual experiences seems absent from the literature. In addition, many studies suggest that people with co-occurring difficulties have expressed mixed or generally poor experiences of services and/or have had difficulties accessing them. A common theme in the literature is that services tend to focus on a single difficulty, rather than taking a more holistic approach. In the first incidence, it is crucial to find out how mismatches in policy and care provision impact those who require mental health care and also identify themselves as having difficulties with substance (mis)use.
Due to limited research in this area, the overarching aim is to generate a theory in order to explain how service provision impacts individual experiences of people with co-occurring mental health difficulties and problems with substance use. The research project aims to be collaborative by consulting with individuals with lived experience to bring authenticity and give a platform to those who may have felt unheard or unseen by mental health services.
Research question: ‘How does service provision in Luton and Bedfordshire impact the experiences of people (mis)using substances and seeking mental health support?’
The proposed design for the research will use a constructivist Grounded Theory (GT) methodology. The researcher aims to conduct between 11-15 semi-structured interviews.
This study is supported by the University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with Resolutions aka. Change Grow Live (CGL) and Pathway 2 Recovery (P2R), East London Foundation NHS Trust (ELFT).
REC name
London - Brent Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/0892
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion