title: Action research: the revision of services at one mental health rehabilitation unit in the north of England.
abstract: This paper reports the experiences of people in one mental health rehabilitation unit in the north of England, where conventional individualized approaches have repeatedly failed, leading to bed blocking and inertia. An action research approach has been used to identify the key problems concerned, construct appropriate goals and formulate problem-solving plans, leading to the development of an alternative therapeutic regime. The new facility is based on a society-centred, recovery approach which emphasizes the principles of community involvement, social responsibility and meaningful occupation of time. This approach may be of transferable interest to others in the field. The paper outlines the history of the unit, describes the action research process, and presents the philosophy of care, nursing model, admission criteria and main assessment tool now being used. It concludes with an open review of the research process, exploring both positive and negative aspects.
authors.affiliation: York College, York, North Yorkshire, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leighton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011340:Problem Solving; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012941:Social Responsibility; D017211:Treatment Failure