– This paper outlines the concept of service user leadership and both describes and reflects on an accredited training programme that enables mental health service users to take a leadership role.
– The authors argue for a service user leadership approach and the training programme is reviewed by previous participants
– Service users can take on a leadership role if they are given suitable and relevant training and development opportunities. Service user led training can be transformational.
– Commissioners of mental health services should consider how to support service user leadership programmes, which can reach places and achieve outcomes that traditional mental health services are unable to attain.
– The concept of service user leadership is relatively new and the training programme described in this paper is both original and highly valued by participants with many significant outcomes.
