Service user involvement explodes throughout MST!

Posted by MST on July 8, 2009 | No Comments |  Print This Post |  Email This Post

Our three-year service user involvement strategy – developed with service users – has helped improve their services and the lives of service users.

TWO MST service users recruited to positions on the MST Board.

THREE new publications produced with a for service users: the Service User Guide, “Have Your Say” Menu of Involvement leaflet and 2008 Annual Report to service users.

THREE service users recruited to positions in MHP: the ACE Scrutiny Panel, the Diversity Taskforce and the Sustainability Group.

NINE service users involved in MST’s peer review.

TEN training sessions for service users were organised, on topics ranging from “Improving Verbal Communication” to “Recruitment and Selection”.

TWELVE MST Key Performance Indicators have been reviewed by service users.

FIFTEEN MST policies have been reviewed by service users.

TWENTY recommendations from the national “Service User Strategy Group” have been agreed and actioned, including a recommendation to develop the MST website for service users.

THIRTY ONE staff established a network of “Service User Involvement Champions” in June 2008.

SEVENTY FIVE support staff positions involved service users in their recruitment.

EIGHTY service users attended a Regional Service User Group meeting.

Phillippa Marlowe-Hunt: service user and board member!

Phillippa and Refugee Support service user Olani Nemura have been in positions on the MST board for over a year. Here Phillippa looks back at how she came to have her say.

How did you come to be on the MST Board?

I heard about the opportunity through one of the regional service user groups – these are groups of service users who meet regularly to give feedback on MST projects, policies and plans.

MST laid on some special training about what the role would involve. That helped my confidence. On the day of the interview I was very nervous but I must have managed to talk sense – I was lucky enough to be offered the role. I hear that about 30 other users applied for the post too, which is encouraging for the future.

How does being on the Board help MST?

All the people on the Board are highly qualified, but sitting round that table, I’m the expert on being a service user. Service users know when something’s not right or could be done better. And that’s why it’s great that MST has made a real commitment to service user involvement. I said when I joined I wanted to see service user involvement explode throughout the organisation – and some of the achievements show it’s happening.

Find out more about service user involvement