Consumer Participation in Mental Healthcare Essay

Consumer Participation in Mental Healthcare - Essay Example Different stakeholders have suggested several strategies and intervention mechanisms to promote consumer participation in mental health care. According to World Health Organization (W.H.O), the empowerment of patients is a prudent strategy to strike a balance between the patients and mental healthcare providers. This report seeks to explore consumer participation in mental healthcare in three series. First, it will briefly look at the benefits and barriers to consumer participation. Second, it will give consumers account with the healthcare. Lastly, it will analyze its finding and provide concrete conclusion. Several governments have formulated policies that aim at solving the barriers between their mental patients and healthcare providers. These initiatives intend to maximize the benefits of a smooth mental healthcare. Different stakeholders employ these initiatives at different level. With the knowledge that consumers are paramount to the successes of the endeavor, these government s focus on consumer friendly interventions. The varied level of participation include, establishment of national consumer networks, officers of consumer networks, and consumer- directed provider organizations. Moreover, the policies promote consumer participation in the mental health facilities. ... The driving force of all these policies is to bridge the gap between the two mental patients and health sector. Consumer participation has many benefits in the mental healthcare not only to the consumer but also to the improvement of health sector’s image. To start with, through patient empowerment programs, there is remarkable improvement in health service delivery. These programs help mental patients to develop self-esteem, confidence and to realize their rights even in such mental state. Empowerment eliminates the perception that mental patient’s have little to contribute in the society and nation as a whole. Empowerment achieves acceptance of the mental patients in the society. These programs unite the patients and the community. This brings harmony and gives a chance for the mental patients to participate in productive activities. This is not only at community level, but also at national level. Moreover, the programs boost the full recovery of individuals. Mental p atients empowerment serves as a unifying factor between the patients and the health professionals. Health practitioners accord respect to this patients. This is because they know an empowered patient knows his/her right. Any attempt to violate the patients’ right is met with punitive measures. Second, consumer participation improves access to quality mental healthcare. Consumers and other stakeholders contribute immensely to sound strategies. The inclusion of consumers ensures there is accountability and transparence in the mental healthcare. Designing of consumer friendly strategies is achieved. Moreover, consumers participate in the implementation of programs that are befitting to them and the community. This allows the health sector