People with severe mental illness as co-producers of health: integrating consumer voice and choice into healthcare systems

Abstract

Introduction: People with severe mental illness are not receiving optimal care in our health system, and yet contemporary Australian mental health policy embeds the right to enjoying the highest attainable standard of physical health without discrimination as a fundamental human right. Recently, shared decision-making and recovery-oriented practice have been receiving increased attention as appropriate approaches for integrating consumer choice into care provision processes. An alternative approach is to view consumers as active co-producers of their health, and people with real and often considerable contributions and capabilities rather than as passive, incompetent recipients of care.