The National Involvement Partnership (NIP), which is hosted by the National Survivor User Network (NSUN), have published a set of standards to ensure the effective engagement and involvement of people with lived experience of mental health issues and carers in the planning, delivery and evaluation of health and socialcare.

The Standards have been summarised as Principles, Purpose, Presence, Process and Impact, which should be considered when involving people who use mental health services, their family and carers. They form a framework for best practice, highlighting what’s important when developing meaningful and effective involvement. The published report explores involvement in individual care and treatment, the community, operational, strategic and monitoring and evaluation, with evidence of the benefits and a summary of the available guidelines and tools to supportorganisations.

Self Help would like to support the Standards and the mental health voluntary sector to ensure that service users are effectively involved and engaged with across service delivery. Organisations are asked to sign up to a statement of intent to work together to improve outcomes for all and can get involved in implementing these standards across services.

Executive Summary of the report availablehere.