Peer Supported Open Dialogue
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating Peer Supported Open Dialogue (POD) in NHS mental health services: Accessing patient social networks to optimise outcomes.("Evaluating POD")
IRAS ID
211010
Contact name
James Osborne
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Estimates suggest that the NHS will experience a shortfall of £30 billion by 2020. At the same time, the incidence of severe mental illness is on the rise. ‘Recovery’ from severe mental illness is often limited with only 13% of working age adults open to secondary mental health services in employment in Kent and Medway. Mental illness is now the number one cause of claims for disability allowance in the UK. The challenge of meeting these growing pressures, with a reducing resource base is an acute one across the country.
Open Dialogue is a model of treating severe mental illness that originated in Finland in the 1980s with previous research demonstrating the best outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness in Western health services. The approach involves a consistent therapeutic relationship with the family and social network by the same clinicians throughout their care. All decisions are co-created by the client, their support system and clinicians. The Peer Supported Open Dialogue (POD) model is an adaptation of the original approach in which paid peer support workers with lived experience become part of the network meetings with clients, their families and their social network.
This project seeks to evaluate the POD model through key deliverables which include:
• Immediate response at the point of crisis
• Reduced admissions and length of stay
• Continuity of the same care professional throughout the duration of care
• Family inclusive network meetings
• Client and family satisfaction
50 participants each with a minimum of 1 family member will be recruited from two POD teams within Kent. Quantitative and qualitative measures will be used to identify improvements for the client and family, as well as organisational fidelity to the approach, and the impact of POD in the Trust.
This research is funded by a Health Foundation Innovating for Improvement award.REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1606
Date of REC Opinion
27 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion