RecruitingInterventional

Supporting honest and reflective engagement after Mental Health Act assessments

This study aims to make things better for people after they've had a Mental Health Act (MHA) assessment. These assessments decide if someone needs to go into a mental health hospital, even if they don't agree, and can be very upsetting. Researchers want to create a new way for patients and mental health staff to have structured discussions afterwards. The goal is to help patients understand what happened, share their feelings, and express their wishes for any future assessments. This also hopes to build better relationships between patients and staff, and maybe reduce the need for compulsory hospital admissions in the future.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University College London

Enrolment target

Start

01 May 2026

Estimated completion

02 Oct 2028

Mental health

What is this study about?

Imagine feeling confused or scared after a difficult experience, and wishing you had a chance to talk it through properly. This study is all about that, but specifically for people who have had a Mental Health Act (MHA) assessment. An MHA assessment is a legal process where mental health professionals decide if someone needs to go to a mental health hospital for care, even if that person doesn't want to go. These situations can be very frightening and make people feel left out of important decisions about their own life.

The main idea behind this study is to develop a new, helpful way for patients and mental health staff to talk after an MHA assessment. The aim is to help patients think about what happened, understand their experience better, and share what they would like to happen in any future assessments. For example, they might want to talk about what could have been done differently or what support would be most helpful.

By creating a better way for these important conversations to happen, the study hopes to achieve two main things. Firstly, it wants to improve relationships between patients and the staff who support them. Secondly, it aims to reduce the need for people to be compulsorily admitted to the hospital again in the future by helping them feel more involved and understood.

Key takeaways

The study aims to improve how people are supported after Mental Health Act assessments.
It wants to create new ways for patients and staff to talk about difficult experiences.
Participation involves sharing experiences, designing support, or testing new ideas.
Your feedback could help make mental health services better for everyone.
You can withdraw from the study at any time without affecting your medical care.

Who may be eligible?

If you're thinking about taking part, there are a few important things to know about who can join. The study is looking for two main groups of people: adults who have had a Mental Health Act assessment (sometimes called being 'sectioned'), and staff who work in mental health services.

For adults who have had an MHA assessment, you need to be 18 years old or over and live in North London, Sussex, or Hampshire. You should also remember your assessment and be willing to talk about your experiences. It's important that you understand what the study involves and are happy to agree to take part.

For staff members, you need to be working in mental health services in North London, Sussex, or Hampshire. This includes staff who are involved in MHA assessments (like Approved Mental Health Professionals or Section 12 Doctors), or those who work with patients who have been compulsorily admitted to hospital (such as nurses, psychiatrists, or social workers). There are also different criteria if you want to join the workshops where the support approach will be designed; if you're interested in that, the researchers can give you more details.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you had a Mental Health Act assessment?
Do you remember your assessment and feel able to talk about it?
Do you live in North London, Sussex, or Hampshire?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study involves three main stages, and what you do depends on which stage you join.

**Stage 1: Talk about your experiences.** If you're a patient, you'll have an interview to share your experiences of MHA assessments and what support you think would be helpful afterwards. If you're staff, you'll join a small discussion group (focus group) to talk about your experiences of supporting people after an assessment. These interviews or discussions can take place at a University College London (UCL) building, a mental health service location, or remotely (over the phone or video call).

**Stage 2: Help design the new support.** This stage brings together people who have experienced MHA assessments, mental health staff, and others. You'll work together in workshops to help create the new support approach.

**Stage 3: Try out the new support.** In this stage, a small group of staff and patients will try out the new support approach that has been designed. You'll give feedback, and the researchers will use this feedback to make the support even better.

The study is expected to run from May 2025 to October 2028.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer some benefits, such as the chance to reflect on your experiences and contribute to making mental health services better for others in the future. However, there are also some potential risks. Talking about your experiences, especially difficult ones like an MHA assessment, might feel upsetting. The research team understands this and will support you throughout, offering breaks whenever you need them and providing information on where to get further help if you feel distressed. Remember, you can stop taking part in the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your care.

Locations (3)

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
City only
Southampton, England
North London NHS Foundation Trust
City only
London, England
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Approximate
Worthing, England

Common questions

What is a Mental Health Act assessment?

It's a legal process where mental health experts decide if someone needs to go into a mental health hospital for care, even if they don't want to go.

Who can take part in this study?

Adults (18+) who have had an MHA assessment and live in North London, Sussex, or Hampshire. Also, mental health staff in those areas.

What will I have to do if I join?

You might have an interview, join a workshop to design support, or try out the new support approach and give feedback.

What are the benefits of joining?

You can share your experiences to improve mental health services for others and reflect on your own journey.

Can I stop taking part if I change my mind?

Yes, you can stop at any time without giving a reason, and it won't affect your care.

How to find out more

Brynmor Lloyd-Evans

b.lloyd-evans@ucl.ac.uk +44 (0)2076799453 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.