Person-centred Healthcare in CMHTs: Developing the delivery of person-centred healthcare in CMHTs taking a collaborative perspective

Abstract

This report presents the results of a study on how Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) within the NHS Highland understand and deliver person-centred healthcare (PCH). PCH is a dominant principle and an explicit standard in current policy initiatives. Based on a mixedmethod research design, the study summarizes facets attributed to PCH by mental healthcare practitioners. Furthermore, it identifies factors which are argued to support or inhibit the effectiveness and efficiency of PCH-delivery. Collaborative team work and integrated systems are considered as pivotal elements. Within the context of community services in the Scottish Highlands, region-specific constraints to teamwork and collaboration are discussed. The study identifies possible relationship and communication issues within and beyond CMHT-boundaries resulting from differences across professions and agencies, different notions of responsibility and different models of care. It is these differences and similarities that can get in the way of or help facilitate collaborative and integrated teamwork. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey are used to explore these issues with CMHT-members.