MH & Recovery

One of the key objectives of ‘No Health without Mental Health’ the Coalition Government’s mental health strategy is that more people with mental health problems will recover. There is growing awareness that this should take in all areas of individuals’ lives, a holistic process that focuses on more than clinical recovery.

It emphasises improved self management, stronger social relationships, suitable and stable accommodation, improved chances in education and higher employment rates. This resonates strongly with the social model of recovery and underpins the value base of MHPF and all its members.

By working with members and partners cross-sector to support recovery focused organisational practices, our aim is to make recovery an attainable goal for those living with mental ill-health.

We are closely watching the current ImRoc project which will work with pilot sites to look at and test the key features underpinning effective delivery of recovery services at organisational level. This builds on the “Recovery in Action” (RIA) project which was delivered through the Strategic Network for Mental Health (SNMH), a coalition of MHPF member organisations.

The SNMH coalition of voluntary sector providers explored different ways of embedding Recovery within a range of mental health services based in primary and community settings.

Both these projects highlight the importance of recovery processes and interventions that involve active collaboration with service users as “experts by experience”, as well as the use of recovery focused tools that support such working and empower people with lived experiences.

They highlight where the sector is on its thinking around mental health and recovery – an approach that MHPF and members are committed to. The focus on recovery for mental health service users, emphasis on the well-being agenda and commitment to improving outcomes for service users have a good fit with the long held traditional values of the sector.