Mental health nurses' encounters with occupational health services

Background: Staff well-being is vital to the functioning of the UK National Health Service (NHS). Mental health nurses (MHNs) with personal experience of mental illness can offer a professionally and personally informed insight into the occupational health (OH) service offered by their employer. Aims: To investigate MHNs' views of OH provision in the NHS, based on their personal experience. Methods: A qualitative interview study using a purposive sample of MHNs with personal experience of mental illness. Results: Twenty-seven MHNs met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis identified three themes: comparisons of 'relative expertise' between the mental health nurse and the OH clinician; concerns about 'being treated' by a service at their work; and 'returning to work'. Conclusions: OH provision in mental health settings must take account of the expertise of its staff. Further research, looking at NHS OH provision from the provider perspective is warranted