Andrew Gumley1, Simon Bradstreet1, Stephanie Allan1, John Farhall2, John Gleeson3, Matthew Machin4, Maria Lambrou2; 1Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, 2La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, 3Australian Catholic University, School of Psychology, Melbourne, Australia, 4University of Manchester
The detection and prevention of relapse in people who experience psychosis is important. EMPOWER is a complex intervention which is harnessing digital technology to identify risk of relapse in psychosis, and establish a pathway towards relapse prevention. This talk will report on findings from three stakeholder groups. Staff across Community Mental Health services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK and NorthWestern Area Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia were invited to participate, as well as service users with experience of psychosis and families and carers. The constructivist grounded theory approach was utilised to address the aims of the study. In total we conducted 25 Focus Groups (7 with service users, 5 with carers and 13 with staff). These Focus Groups comprised 23 service users, 38 carers and 86 mental health staff. All three groups reported the utility of early warning signs as a tool towards relapse prevention. However, each group differed in their conceptualisation of risk and their relative power to manage perceived risk. These perceptions of risk were closely linked to their roles and relationships with each other. Barriers and facilitators to implementation were conceptualised as existing at the level of service provision (e.g. staffing levels), fit with existing practice (e.g. potential relationships changes) and personal level of acceptability and making sense (e.g. access to one's own wellbeing data is useful). Results suggest several important factors for consideration when implementing self-monitoring via mobile phones for psychosis.
