Sixteen patients nominated at least one key professional; 13 nominated general practitioners, and 10 nominated secondary care professionals, seven of whom were nurses (see Nazareth et al, in press for further detail).
Scale to Assess the Therapeutic Relationship in community mental health care (STAR) – service user version assesses the relationship between the service user and their care co-ordinator, psychiatrist or other nominated professional.
Consent was initially sought from an individual close to the patient (the personal legal representative), or if immediately unavailable, a nominated professional legal representative within each hospital; if both were immediately unavailable, the individual was randomised, with later consent from a representative as soon as possible.
In determining what the person's wishes and feelings about the research would be if they had capacity, the nominated professional consultee should attempt to seek views from any family, friends or carers who may not be willing or able to act as a personal consultee.
Any serious deterioration in mood reported on any study assessment measures will trigger protocols involving contacting the participant to discuss their emotional state, and a meeting between the study researchers to develop a management plan (which may involve contacting their nominated health professional).
Towards the end of the study we invited HCPs involved in the study to take part in a follow up interview to reflect and comment on the individual clinical cases that they had referred to us (patient consent included agreement for us to discuss their case with a nominated healthcare professional).
The list included an option ('other' category) to indicate and specify health professionals additional to the below nominated categories § Two consumers nominated seeking treatment from a Bowen Therapist.
It has been shown that patients rate the impact of mental health as more important than their physicians do [ 25], and that people with disability differ in their perception of rehabilitation needs compared with their nominated key professionals [ 26].
Get nominated or nominate yourself.
The department chair will be invited to designate one professional not included in the nominated team.
