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A more promising architecture? Commissioners’ perspectives on the reconfiguration of personality disorder services under the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway

Julie Trebilcock (Department of Criminology and Sociology, Middlesex University, London, UK)
Manuela Jarrett (School of Health Sciences, City University, London, UK)
Tim Weaver (Department of Mental Health, Social Work and Integrative Medicine, Middlesex University, London, UK)
Colin Campbell (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK)
Andrew Forrester (Offender Health Research Network, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK)
Julian Walker (Centre for Academic Mental Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK)
Paul Moran (Centre for Academic Mental Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK)

Mental Health Review Journal

ISSN: 1361-9322

Article publication date: 3 October 2019

Issue publication date: 7 November 2019

242

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the views of NHS England (NHSE) and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) commissioners about the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway.

Design/methodology/approach

A thematic analysis of four semi-structured interviews with NHSE and HMPPS commissioners is conducted.

Findings

Commissioners offered a cautious but confident assessment of the potential effectiveness of the OPD pathway, drawing particular attention to its potential to enhance the confidence and competency of staff, offer better value for money and provide enhanced progression routes for offenders with personality disorders. Additionally, commissioners identified a number of potential risks for the pathway including wider system flux, funding availability, multi-agency working, offender engagement and the need to evidence effectiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis is based on a small number of interviews. However, there are only a limited number of commissioners involved with the OPD pathway.

Practical implications

While the stronger focus on progression in the OPD pathway is a welcome departure from a narrow focus on high security Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) services, the foundations of the OPD pathway ultimately lie with the DSPD programme and similar challenges are likely to follow. The system within which the pathway operates is subject to a great deal of flux and this inevitably poses significant challenges for pathway services, staff and offenders, as well as for those of us charged with its evaluation.

Originality/value

There has been limited empirical work with commissioners in the mental health field. The paper offers a unique insight into the perspectives of those responsible for commissioning the OPD pathway.

Keywords

Citation

Trebilcock, J., Jarrett, M., Weaver, T., Campbell, C., Forrester, A., Walker, J. and Moran, P. (2019), "A more promising architecture? Commissioners’ perspectives on the reconfiguration of personality disorder services under the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway", Mental Health Review Journal, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 306-316. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHRJ-06-2019-0021

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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