Views on Mental Health Measure: Gaining Qualitative Evidence. Essay Sample

The overall purpose of the tender specification was to provide qualitative evidence on the views of service users, carers, and practitioners of parts 1 - 4 of the mental health measure to enhance the effective review of the measure. Understanding the overall purpose was crucial for gauging if the policy would be successful at the end of the implementation period(Baggott 2015). The goal was also meant to serve as the guiding path through which the tender is to be processed from the beginning to the end. The changes brought about by the mental health measures proved to be efficient at ensuring proper care implementation and management for persons with mental disorders.

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The aims of the tender were well defined, comprehensive, and clearly-written, telling the tenders what exactly they needed to provide for the successful satisfaction of the need. With the diverse consideration of various sides of the measure, the tender aimed at satisfying direct implementation of the measure to the mental health service users, their carers, as well as the practitioners involved in the process. In that case, the tender took into careful consideration the aspects of local primary mental health support services, effective coordination as well as care and treatment planning for secondary mental health users, careful assessment of the former users of the secondary mental health service. According to Treasury (2011), "The magenta book: Guidance for evaluation," the tender took careful consideration of the mental health advocacy which aimed at improving the quality of mental health care services received by the mental health service users as per the measure. Based upon the policy, the tender effectively and carefully considered all the required protocols to ensure achievement of the desired service provision conditions that would lead to the overall satisfaction of the service users, their carers, as well as the practitioners.

According to Treasury (2011), "The magenta book: Guidance for evaluation," the objectives of this tender were specific and measurable to give the easy means of determining if the measure was effectively being implemented. It is these objectives that enable the goal to acquire the correct and desirable shape. The only means to verify if the measure was being implemented in the right way as required. Besides, objectives were very relevant to the scope of the measure with special attention paid to various parts of the measure to ensure all-round perfection and greater comprehension of the service provision. Fashioned promptly, the objectives of the tender served as the best measure for effective exhaustion of the required service provision so that not anything could be found to have been omitted in the process towards realizing the greater purpose (Treasury 2011). The tenders were given sufficient information that they could require to help them deliver the right kind of service compatible with the need. The objectives were clearly defined giving a greater chance for the anticipated goal to be achieved. For example, by assessing the extent of the information provision, advice and any other assistance needed, the tender sought to enhance the service provision with particular attention to the service users, their carers, and practitioners. Hence, the tender aimed at fulfilling the requirement under section 5 of the measure. The free flow and sharing of information among the service users, their carers, and practitioners is the key measure of excellence of the policy since it is built the fundamental parameters of success. The success of the policy was engraved on this objective, and by implementing it to satisfactory achievement, the measure would be considered successful. The objectives also aimed at assessing if the policy stakeholders were satisfied with the service provided. Given the ambiguity of the process, the objectives attempted to simplify the attainment process through the piece-meal approach. Mertens and Wilson (2018), in their article entitled "Program evaluation theory and practice," observed that the whole idea is based on the critical consideration of both direct and indirect involvement of the policy stakeholders which is the most critical driving force behind the success of the policy. The successful coordination of as well as care and treatment planning for secondary mental health users meant that the mental health measure was making significant progress towards attaining the anticipated goal. Based on section 8 of the mental health measure, the objective of the tender satisfactorily covered the required qualifications of the service users, carers, and practitioners. Having this in mind, the tender ensured that persons who were legible to participate in the service provision process had an adequate need and compulsion toward attainment of the policy goal either as the direct beneficiary, caregiver or as a practitioner. All these aspects were very significant at ensuring adequate policy provision. The objective of obtaining the report of the experience from the previous users, carers, and practitioners of the secondary health services served to provide information about the consistency and efficiency of the measure. The data acquired would serve as a learning point for necessary adjustments where applicable for the betterment of the subsequent policy implementation. In addition to that, the objective to obtain a report on experiences of service users, carers, and practitioners of the new Independent Mental Health Advocacy service established under the measure was also of significant contribution toward the achievement of the policy goals. Therefore, the objectives of the tender were well defined and satisfactory to enhance effective service provision and achievement of specific goals and objectives.

Type of Evaluation and Suitability of Suggested Method

The tender considered process evaluation to find out how mental health measure was faring. By obtaining data from previous undertakings and the current progress of the policy implementation, the tender aimed at understanding the effectiveness of the policy and how it would impact the need for which it was established, the need to improve healthcare provision for the service users. Shaw, Greene, and Mark(2006), in their book entitled"Handbook of evaluation: policies, programs, and practices," noted that process evaluation is one of the most effective types of evaluation that the tender can consider undertaking given the necessity attached to the achievement of goals and objectives of the measure. According to Newcomer et al. (2015), gathering information concerning the satisfaction of the previous service users, carers, and practitioners, as well as the information on the experience of the current service users, carers, and practitioners, are very significant for gauging the extent at which the mental health measure satisfies its anticipated goals and objectives. Apart from that, it provides a means by which the impacts of the policy can be predicted(Nutley et al. 2000). Therefore, it is appropriate to say that the type of evaluation of the tender was applicable and suitable for enhancing the running and implementation of the mental health measure as required.

The tender suggested a qualitative method of the evaluation of the mental health measure. According to Patton and Newhart(2017), the qualitative method offers extensive understating of the policy implementation process and is suitable for conducting research that requires in-depth knowledge and understanding of the facts related to a particular measure. The qualitative method is, therefore, ideal for the evaluation of the implementation of mental health measure because of the following reasons. First, it provides an in-depth and detailed consideration of the condition and the progress of the implementation process(Tetnowski 2015). Becker, Bryman, and Ferguson(2012), in their research article entitled"Understanding research for social policy and social work: themes, methods, and approaches," noted that the qualitative policy evaluation method looks deeper into the process by considering even the feelings, attitudes and behaviors of stakeholders to determine how satisfied they are towards the implementation of the policy. According to Becker at al. (2012), this ensures that proper information is acquired which may significantly improve the implementation process and bring satisfactory implementation of the subsequent process. Second, the qualitative method creates the openness of the stakeholders towards responding to the sensitive questions concerning their experiences with the policy being implemented (Thyer 2010). The process is suitable for encouraging people to significantly expand on their answers to the asked questions so that other information might be discovered from the responses given. Third, the qualitative method suggested has the significant capacity to discern the people's individual experience since it allows for the direct expression of personal feelings and emotional display during responses (May 2011). According to Taylor et al. (2015), this alone can tell if the service users are grateful, discouraged, or satisfied with the kind of service they get. It also provides essential ability to determine what additional need is required by the service users as a supportive measure to what is already provided. In addition to that, the qualitative method suggested by tender is very effective in avoiding pre-judgment since it is easy to determine why a particular answer was provided (Mayer 2015). Moreover, service users, carers, and practitioners can directly offer clarifications for their responses making them clearer to understand. Therefore, the qualitative method suggested by the tender was very suitable in this evaluation and most applicable for the effective acquisition of results (Rubin and Babbie 2016).

Stakeholder involvement

According to Treasury (2011), "The magenta book: Guidance for evaluation," the stakeholders were adequately involved with great attention and consideration. This included service users, carers, and practitioners from both the previous secondary health service and the present proceeding ones. Obtaining information from these groups was crucial for gaining a proper gauge with which is significant to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the policy implementation process. This is also in perfect concord with set policy measure and necessary for obtaining correct means of verifying the relevance of the process as well as predicting its expected outcomes on the stakeholders (Vedung 2017). The role of the service provider and the client was provided and the effective connection between all stakeholders established which enhanced sufficient conviction of success. The tender created extensive coordination among all the people who are either directly or indirectly associated with the policy implementation process thereby minimizing possibilities of occurrence of errors. Engaging stakeholders helped in addressing all potential problems and ensuring various changes associated with the progress of the implementation process would be well communicated and understood by all stakeholders. The role of the client was provided as well as that of the tenderer thereby, ensuring smooth running and of the process to successful completion.

Monitoring Arrangements

The tender identified Andrea Gray and Janine Hale as contract managers for the client. The two have qualifications in the field of mental health and would be very active and beneficial in monitoring the progress of the implementation process (Wiesner 2017).