Table 1 Actionable service improvement ideas generated from projects in first stage of the IQuESTS research programme

1

Widening access to non-therapy services – to help service users build and strengthen their support networks by engaging (or re-engaging) with activities and/or services they valued in the community.

Stage 1a

2

Educating staff and families about depression – to provide psycho-educational materials and training opportunities to friends, family, and carers of people with longer-term depression as well as professionals.

Stage 1b

3

Guided self-help with the use of tools and resources – helping patients to navigate the wealth of existing written and on-line information and self-help resources available.

Stage 1b

4

Sign-posting & improving access to a menu of options alongside therapy including, for example:

Stage 1b

• Pets for Companions

• Complementary Therapies

• Voluntary work or job search activity

• Physical exercise

5

Peer buddy programme – developing one-to-one peer mentoring to help with initial engagement and to run alongside therapy.

Stage 1b

6

Improved brokerage/ensuring informed choice pre-therapy start – focussing on quality of information and communication about available choices prior to therapy.

Stage 1b

7

Peer Support Group post treatment – professionally facilitated and peer managed support groups to reinforce and maintain the gains made in therapy.

Stage 1b

8

Motivational Interviewing and Goal setting – using these as a specific technique/intervention within therapy.

Stage 1b

9

Mindfulness based relapse prevention – professionally led, group-based training in mindfulness techniques at the end of therapy.

Steering Group/Core Team meeting

10

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) & relapse prevention – using the WRAP tool as a specific intervention in relapse prevention planning.

Stage 1b

11

Self-referral back to therapist after discharge – enabling service users to access the same or a different therapist without professional re-referral after completion of therapy.

Stage 1a

12

Integrating care co-ordination and psychological services – providing case management for people using social care and health services.

Stage 1a

13

Developing a common assessment and monitoring tool for use across the care pathway – to reduce the burden on service users of providing the same information repeatedly across mental health services.

Stage 1a

14

Physical health reviews/physical health link workers – conducting physical health assessments alongside mental health reviews for psychotherapy patients, to ensure physical health needs are not neglected.

Steering Group/Core Team meeting

15

Improving access for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people into services – developing and increasing outreach and engagement activities with BME communities.

Steering Group/Core Team meeting

16

Better management and prevention of drop-out – using evidence-based techniques (intention implementation planning) to minimize non-attendance during therapy.

Steering Group/Core Team meeting

17

Green activities – promoting volunteering in conservation and allotment gardening.

Stage 1b

18

Help to get started and continue doing things – providing occupational therapy assistance for people to help with routine activities of daily living.

Stage 1b

19

Incorporating balance of activities and routines - encouraging a focus on balance of activities in developing new routines.

Stage 1b

20

Work for well-being – investigating and taking up opportunities for voluntary and paid work.

Stage 1b