| The Mental Health Helplines Partnership Project | ||
| Achievements
of current project 2002-3 |
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Establishment of partnership and working methods |
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| Consultation is central to the project and a schedule for consultation by mail and at bi-monthly meetings has been maintained, allowing time for helplines to prepare responses. Criteria for eligibility for the project have been clarified and 26 helplines are actively involved in responding to consultations and working together. | ||
| Consultation with users | ||
| A public survey of the views of callers and potential callers was commissioned, with final fieldwork in October 2002 and results presented. After two preparatory phases, quantitative and qualitative, the final Omnibus survey interviewed a representative sample of over 5000 members of the public, among whom 5% had used mental health helplines, and were in general well satisfied with them. The survey showed aspects of helplines valued by callers and potential callers, differences between gender, age and social groups, and those using helplines for different reasons, and the need for publicity for helplines among the 30% of the public who would use them if they knew of them. The implications of the survey results for all aspects of the Partnership’s work are being discussed. | ||
| Quality
Standard |
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| The Partnership has agreed on the need for a Mental Health Helplines Quality Standard; and is producing it based on the THA Helplines Quality Standard (THAQS); and helplines are working through THAQS to ensure they reach the new specialist Standard as quickly as possible | ||
| Funding criteria and mapping | ||
| The
Partnership has articulated good and bad funding practice and agreed
criteria appropriate for funders to apply to mental health helplines. The
Partnership is considering how helplines could best provide evidence in
relation to those criteria (while maintaining confidentiality which the
public survey confirms is highly valued by users and potential users of
the helplines), and have pooled |
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| Information resource and definition of terms | ||
| The
Partnership has agreed on principles underlying an |
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| Information and Communications Technology Upgrade | ||
| The
current ICT capacity of the members of the Partnership has been assessed
and agreement reached on the level needed for consultation to be carried
out electronically, and to create a shared |
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| If you would like more information on the project or the Launch please call the THA office on 0845 120 3767 (lo-call) or email info@helplines.org.uk | ||
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| THA Home Page | ||