Mental health crisis services: what do service users need when in crisis? ; a retrospective study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the needs of mental health service users when in crisis. Service users recently discharged from an inpatient unit were asked, retrospectively, what they need when in crisis, what they found helpful and unhelpful about hospitalisation, and what alternatives they recommend for crisis support. Thematic analysis of data collected via questionnaires (n=78) and interviews (n=10) revealed themes centred around ‘Being There’, ‘Being With’, ‘How Treated’, ‘Staff/Systems’, ‘Holistic Approach’, and ‘Medication’. These findings were used to amend a proposal for a residential crisis service on which feedback was then sought from service users and providers. Ninety-three percent of service users and providers supported the idea of residential crisis services. Approximately 85% supported the specific proposal from this study. The implications of this research include giving service users a voice in determining crisis services, giving clinicians insight into their clients’ experiences of crisis and hospitalisation, informing the improvement of existing crisis services, and informing the development of a broader range of crisis services to better meet the diverse needs of service users.