BackgroundA documented gap in support exists for service users following discharge from acute mental health services, and structured interventions to reduce relapse are rarely provided. Peer-facilitated self-management interventions have potential to meet this need, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited. This paper describes the development of a peer-provided self-management intervention for mental health service users following discharge from crisis resolution teams (CRTs).MethodsA five-stage iterative mixed-methods approach of sequential data collection and intervention development was adopted, following the development and piloting stages of the MRC framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions. Evidence review (stage 1) included systematic reviews of both peer support and self-management literature. Interviews with CRT service users (n = 41) regarding needs and priorities for support following CRT discharge were conducted (stage 2). Focus group consultations (n = 12) were held with CRT service-users, staff and carers to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a proposed intervention, and to refine intervention organisation and content (stage 3). Qualitative evaluation of a refined, peer-provided, self-management intervention involved qualitative interviews with CRT service user participants (n = 9; n = 18) in feasibility testing (stage 4) and a pilot trial (stage 5), and a focus group at each stage with the peer worker providers (n = 4).ResultsExisting evidence suggests self-management interventions can reduce relapse and improve recovery. Initial interviews and focus groups indicated support for the overall purpose and planned content of a recovery-focused self-management intervention for people leaving CRT care adapted from an existing resource: The personal recovery plan (developed by Repper and Perkins), and for peer support workers (PSWs) as providers. Participant feedback after feasibility testing was positive regarding facilitation of the intervention by PSWs; however, the structured self-management booklet was underutilised. Modifications to the self-management intervention manual and PSWs’ training were made before piloting, which confirmed the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention for testing in a future, definitive trial.ConclusionsA manualised intervention and operating procedures, focusing on the needs and priorities of the target client group, have been developed through iterative stages of intervention development and feedback for testing in a trial context. Trial Registration ISRCTN01027104 date of registration: 11/10/2012Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-017-2900-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons learnt during the implementation of a Peer Support Worker (PSW) pilot project within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The project aimed to reduce the barriers experienced by young people and carers during the process of transition between child and Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines reflections of staff, PSWs and trainers in order to share the lessons that may be taken from this project. This includes a rough guide for those hoping to employ PSWs to support transitions. Findings – The PSWs provided the vehicle to support the process of transition by empowering young people and their carers to use their strengths to facilitate a hopeful and timely transition. Recommendations regarding support for peers, staff and the organisation during the process of training and employing peers are discussed. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides a purely reflective account of the pilot project. These reflections may provide guidance for others wishing to develop peer support positions within CAMHS so that an evidence base for the effectiveness of peer support within transitions may continue to grow. Originality/value – Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust are the first NHS Trust in the UK to employ PSWs specifically to support transitions between CAMHS and AMHS. This paper builds on the work of Oldknow et al. (2014) to highlight the first attempts to use peer support to support transitions.

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Background The RAPID-2 intervention has been developed to support women with symptoms of mild-to-moderate anxiety in pregnancy. The intervention consists of supportive discussions with midwives, facilitated discussion groups and access to self-management materials. This paper reports the development of a training programme to prepare midwives and maternity support workers to facilitate the intervention. Methods Kern’s six-step approach for curriculum development was used to identify midwives and maternity support workers training needs to help support pregnant women with anxiety and facilitate a supportive intervention. The stages of development included feedback from a preliminary study, stakeholder engagement, a review of the literature surrounding midwives’ learning and support needs and identifying and supporting the essential process and functions of the RAPID intervention. Results Midwives’ reported training needs were mapped against perinatal mental health competency frameworks to identify areas of skills and training needed to facilitate specific intervention mechanisms and components. A training plan was developed which considered the need to provide training with minimal additional resources and within midwives’ scope of practice. The training plan consists of two workshop teaching sessions and a training manual. Conclusion Future implementation is planned to include a post-training evaluation of the skills and competencies required to fully evaluate the comprehensive programme and deliver the RAPID-2 intervention as planned. In addition, the RAPID-2 study protocol includes a qualitative evaluation of facilitators’ views of the usefulness of the training programme.