Inspecting probation and
 youth justice services.

Inspecting probation and
 youth justice services.

Background A key part of the patient safety system is how it responds to and learns from safety incidents. To date, there is limited research on understanding system-based approaches to investigating ...

The Chief Medical Officer for England identifies areas of good practice and areas of risk, and recommends actions to improve health outcomes for this population.

We found substantial risk differences in distinct subgroups of IPC patients and an excess suicide risk among IPC patients compared to other clinical populations. These findings warrant further investi...

Internationally, it is widely acknowledged that people with criminal records (PWCRs) face considerable stigma and discrimination when trying to enter …

The Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC) operates with a public health approach, through catalysing mental health treatment for those with mental health needs unidentified, untreated, or sub-opt...

Background Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is important in secure psychiatric research because it can help ensure that research is relevant and meaningful, and a positive experien...

Whole life orders (WLOs) represent the power of the state to inflict harm at its most extreme, with such sentences being found to be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, ver....

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Detention under mental health law is based on professional assessments of risk but impacts on patients’ trust. Little attention has been paid by sociologists to the operation of risk, trust and rac...

Information on how decisions are made in England and Wales when an adult lacks capacity to make decisions for themselves.

Dual diagnosis (DD) is defined as the presence of a co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder. It is associated with poor treatment outcomes, which can be further fuelled by frequent excl...

Government to launch a consultation on Liberty Protection Safeguards to improve safeguarding for vulnerable people.

BackgroundOffenders who pose a risk of harm and whose convictions are linked to substance use can be mandated to undergo treatment in forensic psychiatric ho...

BackgroundClear and effective communication between patients and professionals in forensic psychiatric care is central to providing accurate information abou...

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

Effective suicide prevention strategies in community mental health services demand high standards of patient safety. The nature of suicide is complex and uncertain. However, learning needs to be sens...

Garden Court North's James Stark and Anna Watterson will be speaking at this year’s North West Housing Annual Conference on 7 November 2025.

Background Service users living with severe mental illness are often in need of treatment from different health care professionals. Their family members play an important but underreported role in their treatment and care. Following the implementation of the flexible assertive community treatment (FACT) model in Norway since 2013, FACT teams have been evaluated from different perspectives. The overall aim of this study was to explore how family members of people living with SMI experience their situation and the follow-up provided by FACT teams. Methods Forty-one family members aged 31 to 78 years took part in nine focus groups representing seven FACT teams from both rural and urban areas in Norway. Most of the participants had parental roles. The data was analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results The results revealed the following two main themes and five sub-themes: (1) An all-consuming and demanding role (A life of love, care and despair and A life affecting health and well-being), and (2) A turning point after FACT (From a patchwork to more integration and continuity, Family involvement as a vital part of care and Availability of support outside regular opening hours). Conclusions Being family members of service users with SMI are experienced as an all-consuming and demanding role. The family members experience the FACT team as an important support in their day-to-day life. However, they wish to receive more support and inclusion in the treatment than they currently do. Further strengthening the involvement and collaboration between the family members and the FACT teams is recommended. Psychoeducational interventions arranged by the FACT team could support family members’ situations. To share their stories with professionals and/or peers would further contribute to their well-being. Extending the opening hours of FACT is recommended as it might mitigate family members’ everyday challenges and improve their subjective well-being.