Using physical activity within mental health services: the important role of mental health professionals.

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Using physical activity within mental health
services the important role of mental health
professionals.

• Naomi Ellis

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Mental health professionals and the promotion of
physical activity

• Research has highlighted the important role of
  MHP in..
• Facilitating access (Crone and Guy, in-press)
• Providing support (Carless and Douglas, 2004)
• Encouraging uptake (Faulkner and Biddle, 2002)
• Understanding the demands relating to the
  specific group (Crone, 2007)

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• Although there is growing awareness of the
  benefits of PA amongst MHP, it is believed that
  its role is still not fully understood or
  appreciated (Faulkner and Biddle, 2002).
• PA education for MHP has been put forward as
  essential for effective promotion (Blaber, 2005
  Jones and OBeney, 2004)

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In order to educate...

• We need a better understanding of
• The impact of PA on service users
• The impact of PA for carers
• The impact of PA for MHP

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Background

• Service users
• Mental health professionals
• Carers
• Walking group
• Sport group

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Background

• Interviewed 6 mental health professionals
• Early intervention for psychosis
• Mental health charity

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Case studies!
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Findings

• Four key themes developed from interviews
• Providing opportunity (identifying a need,
  support)
• Facilitating community integration (promoting
  independence, access to local facilities)
• Working together (shared experiences, engagement
  and user-led service)
• Observed benefits (physical, psychological and
  social benefits)

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Providing opportunity
I actually go round and pick people up as well
because of the sort of geographical location of
country park its not easy for people to get to
by public transport (Maria186-88).
to encourage them to attend its hard to make
that initial step sometimes, to actually come to
the group, but you can often see when people have
made that effort and how much better they feel at
the end of the session (Maria774-77).
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Facilitating community integration
Its not just a mental health resource, its a
resource that is used bythe local community
(Emily495-96).
its perhaps about making more of an effort to
use the groups as a sort of springboard perhaps
for people to go on and do their own things
(Edward792-96)
its about getting service users alongand know
whats in the community for them (Claire29-30).
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Working together
one of the key issues is engagement, we need to
get young people to work with us and to meet with
usit is about finding the hook, something they
wantand are interested in (Emily88-98).
we have a percentage of users who may not wish
to access anything else that we offer, but will
come along to the sport group (Edward214-18).
sport group does provide afocus for
conversationa shared experience (James446-47).
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Observed benefits
for the duration of sport group and sometimes
for a bit longer afterwards, theyre less
distracted by psychotic symptoms such as auditory
hallucinations (Emily202-5).
theyve lost weighthad problems with their
joints and, that theyve felt better from
thatpoint of view (Caroline1004-9).
they get a lot of umm enjoyment and satisfaction
from it, its quite clear so you know that is
very valuable (Edward253-55).
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Benefits for service users

• Reduction in symptoms
• Enjoyment
• More energy and motivation
• Improved fitness
• Social interaction / similar experiences
• Getting out of the house
• Purpose
• Hope

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Benefits for carers

• A break from their caring role
• Routine
• Transport provision
• Knowledge of meaningful, healthy activity in
  supervised environment
• Perceived benefits for service user

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Summary

• Viewed positively by all involved
• Key benefits for MHP engagement with them and
  service, supports other therapies, shared
  experience, rewarding
• Benefits observed in service users increased
  mood and confidence, reduced stress and anxiety,
  decrease in symptoms, enjoyment!

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Implications for practice

• Educate MHP about the benefits of PA groups for
  all parties (e.g., service users, carers, MHP)
• Provide practical advice and guidance about how
  to include PA within care plans
• Consider evaluation (important within
  evidence-based practice)
• Ensure all service users are provided with an
  opportunity to take part in PA
• PA needs to be tailored to service user needs

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Implications for practice

• Using local or community facilities for PA
  groups, promoting integration and independence
• Creating a shared experience is important for
  building relationships and monitoring in a
  non-clinical environment
• Transport provision
• Establishing routine
• .therefore, training of MHP should raise
  awareness of such issues

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Thank you for participating!
n.j.ellis_at_staffs.ac.uk