Mental health crisis resolution as human occupation : a political and professional discourse

• Main Author: Drury, Dawn
• Published: University of Brighton 2014
• Subjects: 362.2; B000 Health Professions
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.617047

The aim of this thesis is to identify concepts of human occupation within the discourses surrounding Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Teams. The scope of the research covers specific Government policy and research related to the implementation of Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Teams in the United Kingdom, exploring theories of human occupation with the intent of proposing an additional perspective of mental health crisis. Drawing on Michel Foucault's ideas of governmentality and the influences of discourses within historical and political contexts, articles, research reports and government policy have been investigated. Documents reflecting the national context of a number of stakeholders and types of knowledge were subjected to a discourse analysis, mapping the development of mental health crisis as a discursive formation. The main findings in Part One identify how overarching discourses of neo-liberal ideas privileges economic and managerial discursive practices in shaping the remit and measurement of efficacy of this service provision. As a result, these discourses influence the focus of research onto the economic efficacy of Crisis Teams and their role in performing a gatekeeper function to hospital admission. Part Two proposes that concepts of human occupation are implicit within recent Government policy strategies, and posits an additional perspective for exploring how concepts of human occupation manifest themselves in relation to other discourses and through the mode of govern mentality. Links developed between policy rhetoric and service user discourse suggest an additional paradigm for the definition of crisis which draws upon the concepts of human occupation. Future research that can investigate mental health crisis from additional perspectives will address power relations in mental health crisis response and redress the balance of a current economic and managerial research focus in this area. Further investigation from a perspective of occupational disruption/deprivation will contribute to the development of responses to support recovery from mental health crisis, raising awareness of occupation in relation to increasing resilience and well-being. In addition, research exploring concepts of human occupation implicit within a range of social arenas will identify and look to address issues of occupational justice.