A voyage of discovery: setting up a recovery college in a secure setting

Purpose – The potential transformative role of recovery colleges is well-documented in community mental health settings. The purpose of this paper is to reproduce the principles of the recovery college approach in a forensic setting in Devon. Design/methodology/approach – This paper describes the inaugural two-year development process, from ideas to a functioning service, accessible to patients in both medium secure, low and open settings on the Langdon hospital site, drawing on qualitative accounts from staff and service users involved. Findings – Creating and maintaining an educational space within the forensic environment where people have real choices to learn and work on their recovery is possible and valued by service users and clinicians alike. Originality/value – Langdon was one of the first forensic hospitals in the UK to introduce a recovery college, and the report of the positive impact and challenges involved may be useful to others setting out on this journey.