Applying person-centred care in mental health : a guide to values-based practice

Section 1: The importance of working with values to provide person-centred care; Section 2: The importance of values for the person living with mental illness - historical perspective; Section 3: The importance of including all values relevant to the person; Section 4: How to stay connected with the person when there is a conflict of values; Section 5: How to stay connected by being aware of different responses to values; Section 6: How to manage your values.

Applying Person-centred Care in Mental Health: A guide to values-based practice is a guide to support staff working in mental health in-patient settings. In the environment of inpatient mental health units, a patient’s actions are often understood through reference to their illness; if they disagree with staff they lack insight or are aggressive, if they seek independence they are uncooperative and non-compliant, if they wish to be alone they are seen as withdrawn. Imagine being this patient, faced with situations where you are told your reality is not right, that you are a different person to who you think you are and that you have a mental disorder and need treatment, even though you do not think so. Imagine the impact this clash of values could have on you, where your values are routinely undermined, ignored, or subsumed within a medical paradigm.

This contemporary and unique guide will be valuable for all staff working with people with a mental illness. Its focus is on inpatient units, however it also applies to staff working in the community. The guide provides a broad understanding of values-based practice and how to work with people’s values from a person-centred perspective.

Developed by K.W.M. Fulford, values-based practice ensures that the person, as a patient, has their perspective acknowledged and considered in any decisions or actions taken. This book utilises a 10 principle decision-making framework to guide and enable clinicians to reflect on their engagement and clinical decisions. Using exercises and practice scenarios, values used in clinical practice, how they present in different situations and how they influence decision making are examined. It will assist you to critique and monitor your practice in order to maintain best care according to the patient’s perspective.

This book can be used as a standalone resource or to complement the training pack that goes with this guide (also available from Reay House Library): Applying Values-based Practice for People Experiencing Psychosis: A training pack for inpatient settings, also from Pavilion.