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Service users supporting each other can reduce NHS mental
discussion forum health costs while improving outcomes, says a new report.

contact us ‘Peer support’ is when people use knowledge from their own
advertise your experience to help others through distress.
jobs, courses and
conferences It also enables people using services to get into paid work as
part of their recovery, according to a report by the King's Fund
and the Centre for Mental Health.

The report, 'Mental health and the productivity challenge -

Improving quality and value for money’, was published
yesterday in response to a government demand that the NHS
find £20bn of efficiency savings by 2014.

Mental health accounts for 12% of the NHS budget.

The report lists many ways in which productivity can be

improved. In particular, it suggests:

* reducing unnecessary bed use in acute and secure

psychiatric wards
New and second-
hand psychology * reviewing the use of highly-expensive out-of-area mental
psychiatry and health treatments, particularly forensic services.
* improving workforce productivity
mental health
books... * better tackling of the physical health of people with mental
health problems.

But the report also highlights 'growing evidence' that peer

support can reduce psychiatric hospitalisation and demand
for other services.

Have a story? Do For example, a peer support project in Dewsbury, West

you know of Yorkshire, claims to have reduced psychiatric
innovative hospitalisations.
practice? Get
"An expansion in peer support is something that many user
media coverage
groups have advocated for years,” adds the report.

"Further research is needed on cost-effectiveness, but some // At work

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evidence suggests that net savings can be made at the same // Learning disability
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time as increasing the quality of care. // Mental health law
members forum
// Service provision
"There is a particularly strong case for using peer support to
deliver care to specific populations, such as homeless // Wards
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colleague people, or minority groups." // Medication
about this article // Diagnoses
Read for yourself:
'Mental health and the productivity challenge - Improving // Service users
quality and value for money’ // Race
// Young people
See also:
Service provision:

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Email a colleague
about this article
April 9, 2008: This tide's
already changed - The
recov ery approach in mental
health is not new say Phil
Barker and Poppy Buchanan-
Barker.

Oct 9, 2008: Cognitiv e

behav ioural therapy; a Labour
quick fix - CBT simplifies w hat
distress is, argues Dorothy
Row e

March 20, 2008: 'Recov ery'

approach in mental health is
idea 'w hose time has come' -
charity bids to present
principles behind
“empow ering” philosophy of
care

Oct 31, 2007: Getting

personal - Stop the
psychological therapy "brand
w arfare" argues Martin
Seager

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