This paper aims to evaluate a whole system intervention (WSI) that was applied to North Tyneside (UK) adult mental health services and offer a discussion on the broader implications of these results. WSIs are brief, participant‐intensive, democratic change methods that are widely utilised but have received relatively little empirical consideration.
Two methods were used for the WSI evaluation: comparative (of local documentary evidence with scientific and professional sources); and qualitative (analysis of semi‐structured interviews with project planners, stakeholders and participants).
Issues emerged from the research associated principally with the following topics: system definition, power, stakeholder representation, facilitator role, intervention planning, as well as WSI follow‐up and time‐scale.
Guidance is offered associated with WSI methodology choice and its implementation within a health service context.
