Rethinking client roles: User forum for user-steered quality development

Research problem and specific questionsResearch emphasizes the importance of strengthening user involvement in service development in mental health.

Patient/User forums is a method where a moderator with lived service user experience collects development suggestions from the service user group within a service through continuous meetings, which are integrated into quality work. The method has been implemented in a psychiatric context.

Interest in introducing User forum in municipal social psychiatry is growing, which requires context-specific adaptation of the method.The aim of the project is to investigate user-led models for service development.

Specifically, the project aims to investigate the conditions for method adaptation to a community mental health context and to study implementation and results.Data and methodStudy 1: Mapping and adaptation. The study maps factors for successful implementation/evaluation of Patient forum in a regional context.

The analysis draws a process evaluation model and is based on key informant interviews and methodological documents. Workshops are conducted to adapt the method to municipal services.

The study results in a framework for implementation/evaluation of the method in municipal services, which is used in study 2.Study 2: Implementation.

The study has a longitudinal naturalistic design where the implementation of User forums is followed in housing and vocational services.

Interviews with involved actors are conducted at two points in time, focusing on factors affecting implementation.Study 3: Evaluation.

Using a mixed methodology (surveys, individual and focus group interviews), changes and impacts (at individual, organizational and system levels) of the User forum method are evaluated in the same units followed in Study 2.A future conference is organized to disseminate knowledge about the implementation of the User forum method.Societal relevance and utilizationThe project investigates the implementation of user-led approaches to service development, and addresses the need to investigate sustainable implementation and outcomes of user involvement.Plan for project realization Linked to the UserInvolve research programme, the project is led by a multidisciplinary research team with expertise in mental health.

Co-production is integrated through collaboration with a reference group and process leaders from the user movement. The budget focuses on salary costs and funding for continuous co-production.