What is the role of a hospital service user's representative scheme for promoting service user involvement in mental health care delivery?

This paper reports on the evaluation of a scheme to promote service user involvement in the care delivered by a mental health trust. A case study methodology was employed to describe the particularity of the scheme in context as experienced by service users and staff involved in its delivery. Mixed methods of semi-structured interviews and focus groups created the opportunity for all stakeholders to engage in action research through a mutual learning process about the scheme in operation with a view to making changes to improve and develop it in the future. The qualitative data collected was content analysed and grouped according to key themes, which included the benefits of the scheme, the conditions for it to work successfully, suggested changes, limitations of the scheme, and service user involvement generally in a hospital setting. The role of service users as both paid scheme co-ordinators and volunteer representatives highlights the contribution that people who use mental health services can play in influencing service delivery when employed in relevant and appropriate roles within a mental health organisation.