“Experts by Experience play an important role in our service assessments because they provide insight grounded in their own lived experience. Their perspective helps us understand what works and where care falls short. When considered in addition to clinical and operational expertise, the evidence shows this results in better outcomes for patients, and stronger patient and public safety.
“In common with many organisations, RCPsych collaborates with Experts by Experience to help us in our role of shaping policy, setting standards and improving quality throughout mental health services. We have a clear and robust process for determining who works with us, which is continuously reviewed in line with best practice, since 2020 this has included appropriate DBS checks. Having a criminal record will not necessarily exclude individuals from contributing; any relevant criminal history is considered carefully in relation to the role applied for and is subject to a thorough risk assessment, ensuring that safety and suitability remain central to all decisions.
“The widely practised societal approach to the rehabilitation of offenders, involves people who have been convicted of an offence being rehabilitated and supported to participate productively in society as this reduces the likelihood of re-offending, which is not only better for the individual but also for public protection. Individuals with a mental illness who have offended are subject to increased oversight, particularly where serious offences have occurred, as their rehabilitation and any reintegration into the community are closely monitored and overseen by the individual’s treating clinical team as well as the Ministry of Justice, both of whom will have undertaken extensive risk assessments before determining that an individual is ready to live in the community.
“Experts by Experience start to work with the RCPsych after they have been discharged into the community. Those who visit services that are being assessed are sent as part of a team, and that team consists of clinicians and RCPsych staff, all of whom are DBS checked. They always work with the other members of the review team, not independently.
“Our Experts by Experience are compensated for their time and contribution; this approach is applied consistently to all Experts by Experience, whether patients or carers, regardless of background.”
Additional Note:
RCPsych’s Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services (QNFMHS) supports improvement in low and medium secure inpatient services across the UK by assessing care against agreed standards. Patient Experts by Experience contribute to these assessments by drawing on their own experience of having been in similar secure settings.
Positive risk taking is a standard approach across the whole of medicine, it relates to making decisions by identifying risk and implementing mitigations to ensure safe actions.
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896