Patient and Public Pnvolvement and Engagement (PPIE)

INForMHAA established its own Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) panel, which aimed to enhance service user involvement and engagement within the project by collaborating with the research team. The panel comprised four core members, including both service users and carers with direct experience of Mental Health Act assessments using signed/spoken interpreters. This diverse group represented various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, including British Sign Language (BSL), English, French and Gujarati.

Prior to their involvement, panel members received brief training sessions to equip them with the skills needed to an effective panel member. Following their training, they provided valuable insights into the project’s data collection design by sharing their personal experiences. They observed simulated Mental Health Act assessments and offered feedback alongside members of the research team. They also actively participated in disseminating the research findings, including through training sessions.

The INForMHAA project team would like to express appreciation for the invaluable contributions made by the panel members throughout the project. Their involvement significantly enriched the project’s outcomes and ensured that the perspectives of service users and carers were central to its development and implementation.