Service user research and why it hurts

2006 Conference

Patsy Staddon recovered from alcoholism nearly 18 years ago and wanted to research the ways that current treatment is often unsuitable for women. Bristol’s Mental Health Trust ( Avon and Wiltshire) agreed to pay overheads and she has now completed four years’ research which is service user inspired, designed, led and carried out.

She first interviewed other women who had or had had alcohol problems. The lengthy interviews usually happened in the woman’s own home. Then many of the women met up again in small groups to talk about their problems with treatment. In the following year, Patsy interviewed local GPs and treatment providers. Recommendations from both pieces of research were given to the Mental Health Trust and to local GPs and alcohol treatment centres.

Patsy talks about how difficult it can be to be a service user researcher, but how it also gives you extra insights and opportunities—-for example, other service users are more likely to be honest with you. She describes the problems, and how she often felt an outsider as far as academics were concerned. She believes that to obtain good research results, service users must be involved at every stage of the research process.