Title: Volunteering in Mental Health Care for People with Psychosis (VOLUME)
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Aims and Objectives The overall aim of the programme is to improve mental health care for patients with psychosis through facilitating and strengthening schemes that provide one-to-one volunteer input. It has six research objectives: 1) To identify mental health volunteering programmes in the NHS and in voluntary organisations across England. 2) To identify policies for the recruitment, selection, training, management and supervision of volunteers. 3) To explore volunteers’ and patients’ experiences of volunteering schemes that provide one-to-one care for patients with psychosis over a period of at least six months. 4) To design a best practice programme for such volunteering schemes. 5) To conduct an exploratory trial on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a best practice scheme. 6) To facilitate and support implementation of effective volunteering schemes in mental health care in the NHS. Background and rationale In addition to paid professionals and service users providing peer-support, many members of the public contribute to mental health care. Volunteers are a specific group who choose to spend their spare time, unpaid, in the company of patients. They are a valuable asset to mental health care as they support patients in a way that mental health professionals cannot. The present research will focus on one-to-one volunteering in the form of befriending. Both clinical and social gains of such input have been reported. However, there is little evidence on how one-to-one volunteers (i.e. in befriending) may be utilised most effectively to improve patient outcomes. Given the potential clinical, social and economical benefits of volunteer input to patient care, research evidence on the effects is required to define how they can be of best use to patients with psychosis. Research plan The programme will consist of six work packages (WPs): WP1: A two part literature review. We will update a previous systematic review on volunteering schemes in mental health care and conduct a conceptual review of theoretical models of volunteering beyond mental health. WP2: Mapping exercise on mental health volunteering schemes in England. Voluntary organisations in the health sector and all NHS Mental Health Trusts in England will be asked for information on current volunteering schemes. Data will be made available on a website, and updated regularly throughout the programme. WP3: Case studies. Twelve case studies of volunteering schemes will be conducted to obtain evidence on best practice. WP4: In-depth interviews with volunteers and patients. Twenty volunteers and twenty patients (pairs) will be interviewed separately about their experiences. Transcripts will be analysed using thematic analysis. WP5: Designing a volunteering scheme for one-to-one input with patients with psychosis over at least a one year period. A manual will be written based on the results of the previous WPs. WP6: Exploratory Randomised Control Trial. An exploratory trial will be conducted to refine the intervention (as defined in WP5) and pilot the methodology for a later larger trial. The exploratory trial will take place in a single site (East London) with 2x25 patients with psychotic disorders (ICD-10: F20-F29) and with the befriending provided for 12 months. Patients will be recruited from community mental health teams, and volunteers from the local community. Patient reported outcomes (e.g. recovery) and objective outcomes (e.g. social network) as well as formal and informal health care costs will be assessed. WP7: Dissemination and project outputs. We will provide a website with information on mental health volunteering schemes in England and update it throughout the programme, produce a manual on best practice for one-to-one volunteering with patients with psychosis, and disseminate the findings of the research to academic groups and other stakeholders. Patient and Public Involvement Service users, volunteers, managers of volunteering schemes, and the voluntary sector have been centrally involved in the design of the programme and will have strong roles in its implementation throughout all stages. Relevant expertise and experience of the research team The research team combines all relevant expertise and experience to conduct the programme.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS;8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH