EMA question

You first encountered the case study of Mandy in Block 1 when she had reached a crisis point in her mental health. Consider now the following scenario:

Mandy sought help and is now being seen by an occupational therapist from the Community Mental Health Team. Mandy is still living in her small flat and is receiving benefits. She is on a minimal dose of medication and would like to be an active agent in her recovery. The occupational therapist is following the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) to help Mandy achieve this.

Critically discuss the benefits and challenges to individuals and organisations when employing people who have lived experience of using mental health services to deliver and develop services.

Critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mental health services being run by their users. As part of your discussion, explore the role that mental health technologies might play in developing ‘services run by their users’ to increase inclusivity.

How to approach the EMA

This EMA invites you to draw on the knowledge and understanding of concepts presented across the module, selecting which are most appropriate as well as drawing on external resources of good academic quality.

Learning Guide 17 is important for this EMA as it discusses the occupational perspective and explains what an occupational therapist does. It outlines the MOHO model and how this can support recovery through examining volition, habituation, environment and performance skills.

Learning Guide 1 provides you with the background to the case study which you are building on. It also introduces the themes of social support, barriers to access and stigma.

Which other learning guides you use depends on how you choose to tackle the question. However, here are some ideas that may be useful:

LG3: Discusses the structure of mainstream mental health care that Mandy is now receiving a service from

LG4: Discusses some of the wider socio-political issues that may affect Mandy’s experience of services

LG6: Provides some background on the structure of community mental health teams

LG7: Discusses political and economic factors and how these can impact upon wellbeing. This could be used to explore how health inequalities might affect Mandy’s recovery.

LG8: Provides you with background to the independent sector. You could explore independent sector services in the community that Mandy might be able to access alongside the mainstream support from the CMHT.

LG12: Contains information on the Care Planning Approach. It could also be used to reflect on Mandy’s transition into services and potential future discharge from services.

LG16: Service user innovation explores the contributions service users make to mental health services. It looks at the origins of service user/survivor movements and how these movements have contributed to mental health practice, leading to new ways in which service users can express themselves and take different roles in management, policy, research and the delivery of care. This unit could help to discuss how Mandy might be an active agent in her recovery.

LG19: Mental health technology looks at the use of technology to support recovery; for example, the use of computers, mobile phones and serious games. This is something that Mandy could perhaps utilise to be an active agent in her recovery.

Further guidance

Your EMA should be presented in a conventional academic essay style, with in-text citations and a correctly formatted reference list. Please ensure you include a word count.

It should begin with an introduction indicating how you will approach the task before proceeding into the main section. The main section should be composed of several paragraphs, each of which present and develop a relevant aspect of your discussion of the main issues. Your essay should end with a conclusion which sums up your main points in answer to the question.

Throughout the EMA you should be able to demonstrate critical analysis based on your own learning from the K314 module.

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe. It includes the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking. Someone with critical thinking skills is able to:

• understand the logical connections between ideas
• identify, construct, and evaluate arguments
• detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
• solve problems systematically
• identify the relevance and importance of ideas
• reflect on the justification of one’s own beliefs and values.

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes assessed by this EMA are:

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• 1.1 the theories and concepts that underpin and challenge practice and professionalism in mental health practice.
• 1.3 the importance of ensuring that the experiences, needs and cultural contexts of people who seek help or use services are able to influence and shape health and social care practice.

Cognitive skills

• 2.1 analyse situations from a range of perspectives and evaluate the appropriateness of different interventions or approaches.
• 2.2 apply concepts and theories to inform and critique practice situations.

Key skills

• 3.1 read, select, analyse and manipulate both qualitative and quantitative information/evidence from a range of resources including electronic sources.
• 3.3 write assignments, structuring the material to present a logical and coherent argument.

Practical and/or professional skills

• 4.1 demonstrate a critical understanding of the ethical, cultural, political and social dilemmas of practice.
• 4.3 identify, understand and compare traditional and non-traditional approaches to mental health treatment, recognising possible biases and conflicting opinions.