Family carers told us that they wished they had known how to prevent their relative’s admission to a mental health service. Often, they only became aware of all their relative’s rights and what contributed to a good and meaningful life after a crisis or admission to a mental health service. If all the components of a good and meaningful life were in place, they recognised this could have prevented a deterioration in their relative’s mental health and behaviour described as challenging and therefore an admission. This information would also support family carers to advocate for a robust discharge to prevent readmission.
Summary of what needs to be in place for a good and meaningful life
Communication
(please also read the Mental Capacity Act section)
Physical, Emotional and Mental Health
Physical, Emotional and Mental Health
Behaviour Described as Challenging
Behaviour Described as Challenging
Restrictive Interventions
Restrictive interventions are methods used to stop people from doing the things they want to do or encourages them to do things they don’t want to do. They can be obvious (restraint – holding somebody) or subtle (seating somebody against a wall with a table in front of them to stop them leaving a room).
Positive Risk Taking
Positive risk taking is a process which starts by identifying the potential barriers to participation and then finding ways to reduce and / manage any risks. The desired outcome is to encourage and support people to continue to participate in existing and new experiences.
(Please also read the Mental Capacity Act section)
Transition
Transitioning from Children to Adult Services
(Please also read the Children and Families Act and the Care Act)
(Please also read the Mental Health Act)
Planning For Discharge
(Please also read the Mental Health Act)