Patients opportunity and capability for political participation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A socio-legal evaluation of the practice of staff and clinicians in mental health wards supporting patient’s opportunity and capability for political participation.
IRAS ID
207618
Contact name
Peter Bartlett
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Nottingham, Graduate School, Researcher Training and Development
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 25 days
Research summary
The research project aims to describe and evaluate the practices and policies within the NHS mental health system that aim to support mental health inpatient’s opportunity and capability to register for, and cast a vote in elections and referendum. The focus is on the practical implementation of these policies so the project involves interviews with Ward managers, responsible clinicians, Mental health advocates, and patients of long stay, inpatient mental health wards who have been subject to the policy. The study also includes observation of wards in the run up to, and on polling day of, the 2017 and 2018 elections.
The study is divided into five parts. The first: an initial documentary analysis of hospital policy documents. Secondly, interviews with Ward managers are to be conducted to explore the nature of specific policies and their implementation. third, interviews with clinicians and advocates are utilised to access retrospective accounts of professional practice on the ward. In the fourth phase, accounts of the purported facilitation of political participation will be explored with service users with reference to their history of political engagement. In parallel with these interviews an observation of practice will occur either in May 2017 local elections or, if time does not permit observation in 2017 elections, during local elections scheduled for May 2018 (or an intervening ballot such as a general election).
The practices and languages discovered are to be described and evaluated by reference to their expressed aims, in terms of ethical, legal obligations as well as deconstructed using sociological and legal concepts utilised by participants.
The aim of the study is to explore what accommodations and support are offered, and the effect (perceived or otherwise) of such practices on the actors involved.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0165
Date of REC Opinion
24 May 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion