A pilot study evaluating care staffs’ perceptions of their experience of psychological consultation within a mental health setting

The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of a mental health consultation process provided to staff working in residential care settings for young people. Using a semi-structured interview approach, qualitative information was gathered from six participants about their experiences of the consultation. A thematic analysis of the interviews generated four key themes, which appear to reflect the different stages of consultation. These included: initiating consultation; building the consultative relationship; overcoming obstacles; and seeing the value of consultation. These themes, along with prevalent sub-themes, are discussed with reference to the effectiveness of the consultation process and the implications for use of psychological consultation in clinical practice