Public and private space in forensic mental health accommodation v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring perceptions of public and private space within forensic mental health accommodation
IRAS ID
181614
Contact name
Katharine Harding
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
School of Health and Social Care
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Exploring perceptions of public and private space in forensic mental health accommodation
Research examining mental healthcare in the UK is frequently explored from predominantly clinical perspectives, however the proposed studies reflect an increasing appreciation of the value of mental healthcare service users’ own expert experience.
The research will focus on the specific experience of forensic mental healthcare environments and aims to explore service users’ and staff members’ perceptions of ‘private’ and ‘public’ space in the context of secure inpatient and supported community residential settings. The ways in which everyday interaction within these spaces might impact on well-being and ‘recovery’ will be examined, alongside the experience of transition between forensic mental healthcare settings. How the dual functionality of these spaces as both ‘home’ and workplace might be experienced by service users and staff will also be explored.
The proposed service user participants are adult forensic mental health service users living in medium or low secure inpatient settings or within supported housing projects in the community. Staff participants including consultants, nurses and support workers will also be recruited within these settings to further understanding of any disconnects and dilemmas between the ways in which these environments may be experienced and managed by both groups.
The research objectives are supported by the proposed qualitative research methodology combining verbal and visual research methods, which existing research suggests may facilitate narrative accounts by grounding individual experiences in very particular spatial contexts. Visual methods will comprise photo-production, whereby participants will produce photographs for discussion within semi-structured interviews of the everyday spaces which they encounter. Transcribed data will then be subjected to a rigorous form of qualitative analysis.
It is envisaged that the research findings may expand knowledge of UK forensic mental health service users’ experiences of supported accommodation and in particular the experience of transition between forensic mental healthcare settings.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NW/0114
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion