Developing service quality in mental health services

It is argued that health service generally and mental health services have much to gain from becoming more closely aligned with the wider field of knowledge of quality management, and it is concluded that the wider techniques of managing service quality may prove useful, particularly inmental health services.

Abstract

Through a literature review, this paper demonstrates that there is a lack of knowledge about quality management within the mental health services. Ideas about quality from the wider services sector are then discussed, and a case study of a mental health scenario is provided. It is argued that health service generally, and mental health services in particular, have much to gain from becoming more closely aligned with the wider field of knowledge of quality management. Concludes that the wider techniques of managing service quality may prove useful, particularly in mental health services, due to the nature of such services and their inherent variability.