Oz and NZ studies

Mental Health Nursing, Mar 2005

Jim Campbell, a University of Teesside researcher has won a travel scholarship from the Florence Nightingale Foundation to study mental health recovery approaches in Australia and New Zealand.

Jim, from Gateshead, works at the University's Psychological Recovery Research Programme, Teesside Centre for Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Heath & Social Care as a research fellow. His role within the team is to help explore meaningful care and practices for people with mental health problems, with particular emphasis on recovery.

A mental health nurse and a psychology graduate, Jim is 'disillusioned' with the dominant medical approach to mental health and wants to explore different practices. He supports an approach which puts the emphasis on the person with mental health problems as the expert on their experience, with an equal partnership between themselves and professionals.

He said: The person who has experienced mental distress is often in a much better position to understand their own experiences and can work with professionals in their own recovery.

1 wanted to find out more about the models and theories of mental health treatment and to see them in practice. I proposed a study to find out the comparative success of the various New Zealand and Australian approaches and how they could be modified for nurses in the UK and elsewhere. I applied to the Florence Nightingale Foundation for a travel research scholarship.

The primary aim is to use the experience acquired in helping to develop a recovery focus at the Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust. In addition I will be writing a report, writing papers for publication and presenting the findings to colleagues both locally and nationally. I hope to use the award to advance my career towards becoming an expert recovery educator, researcher and practitioner. However, primarily I want to help to develop the current mental health services and so improve the quality of people's experiences of mental distress and wellbeing.'

Jim will begin his five week trip in March.

The Florence Nightingale Foundation raises funds to provide scholarships for nurses, midwives and health visitors to study at home and abroad, to promote innovation in practice, to extend knowledge and skills to meet changing needs. The Foundation promotes the special contribution of nursing to society and to the health of people. It encourages international understanding and learning between nurses, www. florence-nightingalefoundation.org.uk/