Approved Mental Health Professionals, Best Interests Assessors and people with lived experience: an exploration of professional identities and practice

The aims of this research project were to further understand Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) and Best Interests Assessors’ (BIAs) views and feelings on their professional identity (in terms of their regulated profession) and the effect it has on their practice; and the experiences of people who have received services from AMHPs and BIAs, or those who work with them, and whether their experiences and perceptions differ across the professions; and whether BIAs intend to convert their status to AMCP and ways in which this has been influenced. A multimethod research approach was used, comprising a survey qualified and practising AMHPs; a survey of practising BIAs; focus groups of AMHPs and BIAs; interviews with people with experience of Mental Health Act assessments with AMHPs or ASWs. The study found that both the AMHP and BIA workforces are predominantly made up of social workers and predominantly employed by local authorities. Both professions, to varying degrees, believed that their specialist work was advanced, relational and values-based and for many it went beyond an extension of their primary qualification with enhanced legal literacy that was creative and nuanced. Overall, the majority of AMHPs and BIAs believed that social work had the greatest influence on the work. Generally, aspects of social justice and advocacy, as well as a high level of legal literacy, were clear indicators of the contribution of social work to both AMHP and BIA work. AMHPs and BIAs seem to experience very similar impacts on their health and wellbeing arising out of the challenges they experience. The main difference in this area was that AMHPs report finding their role more challenging than BIAs experience which is likely due to workload pressures and a lack of resources which is beyond their control.