City Research Online

Abstract

Background: Staff well-being is vital to the functioning of the UK National Health Service (NHS). Mental health nurses (MHNs) with personal experience of mental illness can offer a professionally and personally informed insight into the occupational health (OH) service offered by their employer.

Aims: To investigate MHNs' views of OH provision in the NHS, based on their personal experience.

Methods: A qualitative interview study using a purposive sample of MHNs with personal experience of mental illness.

Results: Twenty-seven MHNs met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified three themes: comparisons of 'relative expertise' between the mental health nurse and the OH clinician; concerns about 'being treated' by a service at their work; and 'returning to work'.

Conclusions: OH provision in mental health settings must take account of the expertise of its staff. Further research, looking at NHS OH provision from the provider perspective is warranted.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Occupational Medicine following peer review. The version of record Oates, J., Jones, J. and Drey, N. (2018). Mental health nurses' encounters with occupational health services. Occupational Medicine, 68(6), pp. 378-383, is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqy084.
Publisher Keywords:	mental ill health, NHS workforce, nursing, personal experience, occupational health
Subjects:	R Medicine > RT Nursing
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Nursing
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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