WG2: Alternative Interventions

WG2: Alternative Interventions

Working group 2 (WG2) was to explore and examine opportunities to facilitate a shift away from reliance on coercion in hospital and community services. An organisational perspective was be adopted which views decisions by individual staff in the context of broader organisational factors which facilitate or obstruct less coercive measures. Therefore, in accordance with the overall Action objectives, an overview of the known interventions currently in use was obtained as a precursor for further discussions. In addition, the Europe-wide implementation of key organisational programmes designed to minimise and eliminate the use of coercion was be mapped. Where data are available, both elements (coercion and its alternatives) can be examined in the context of broader organisational factors such as the service policy on aggression and violence, team staffing levels and education, user perceptions and user involvement, effective team working, staff attitudes towards patients, funding resource availability and ward/team culture and climate. WG2 activities followed the same broad pattern as WG1. It was met twice a year on average, three STSMs were managed on this specific topic, and a training school was organised (in Year 2).