The place and promotion of well-being in mental health services: a qualitative investigation

Accessible summary • The study investigated the place and promotion of well‐being from the perspectives of services users and mental health professionals. • Data from focus groups and interviews were analysed and found that well‐being promotion was available, for example weight management groups in mental health services. However, they also found that there were some contradictions between the groups of people interviewed about what was available and what to promote in the future. • The study concludes suggesting partnerships with local communities to further develop well‐being services, such as opportunities for physical activity, for people with mental health problems. This study explored service users' and mental health professionals' understandings, experiences and opinions of well‐being and its promotion within mental health services. A qualitative case study methodology included nine participants (five adult service users, three mental health professionals, one senior manager) who were purposively sampled from a Mental Health Trust in England. Service users participated in a focus group, while individual semi‐structured interviews were held with the mental health professionals and senior manager. Interpretative phenomenological analysis of the data revealed five main themes including well‐being as a holistic concept; well‐being promotion; the place, promotion and position of well‐being; role of mental health services in well‐being promotion; and areas for further improvement. Findings revealed evidence of well‐being promotion; however, there were contradictions regarding what was known between the groups of participants and what could be provided in the future. Implications for practice include the need to establish more effective partnership working between mental health services and local communities, especially in light of financial constraints within health services at large. This could assist the increased provision of therapeutic services for well‐being promotion.