User and carer views and expectations of mental health nursing: A systematic review

Service user and carer views are a recognised marker of the quality of mental healthcare services. The objective of this research was to review national published and grey literature in order to examine what is currently known about service users’ and carers views and expectations of UK NHS registered mental health nurses. The review employed a three-fold search strategy comprising:

1. computerised searches of electronic databases;
2. hand searching of key academic journals and
3. grey literature searches of key policy websites and the websites of popular user and carer organisations.

Consultation with user and carer representatives identified the most relevant websites to be searched. This review was commissioned by the Department of Health to inform the Chief Nursing Officer’s 2005 Review of Mental Heath Nursing in England and the National Review of Mental Health Nursing in Scotland. Publications are underway.