More choice for better mental health

'Our Choices in Mental Health', written in consultation with service users and carers, provides advice to patients as well as guidance for professionals. It makes recommendations in the four main areas where people want more choice, as follows.

Life choices

Mental health professionals need to consider all aspects of individuals’ lives and work with them and their carers to maintain their quality of life. This could include providing health promotion services to help people reduce risks and manage their illness.

Contacting mental health services

People should be able to choose how to contact mental health services, for example through community or self-help groups or via extended primary care services as well as through their GP. Advice to help users navigate the system and discuss their options should be easily available.

Assessments

Assessments should be based on a discussion of service users’ needs and the options available. Except in emergencies, everyone should be given a choice of the time, place and date of their assessment.

Care and treatment

Service users should be supported to make more decisions about care and treatment for themselves.

The report includes several examples showing how these improvements are already being achieved in many areas.