Professionals' perceptions of the Mental Health Recovery Star

Abstract

Purpose: The Mental Health Recovery Star (MHRS) has received focus at a national policy level in consideration of outcome measurement within mental health services. The purpose of this paper is to seek the views of mental health professionals about its use within clinical practice. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employed a qualitative, exploratory design to interview 12 participants. Thematic analysis was used. Findings: Four main themes were identified: "the utility of the Recovery Star"; "not for everybody"; "service user involvement"; and "the status of the Recovery Star within the Trust". A range of factors was found to influence participants' use of the tool with service users. Research limitations/implications: The paper involved a small number of participants due to a low response rate. Future research could include larger studies and more detailed exploration of factors identified as limiting the use of the MHRS. Practical implications: The MHRS is a potentially useful tool but its limitations and the influence of organisational context must be considered as part of any plan to systematically implement its use within services. Originality/value: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study of the views of mental health professionals about the MHRS. As it is professionals who are likely to determine whether and how the tool is used, the paper is seen as a valuable initial investigation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract)