Quality standard

Quality statement 8: Inpatient meaningful activities

Quality statement 8: Inpatient meaningful activities

Quality statement

People in hospital for mental health care can access meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm. [2011]

Rationale

Staying in hospital for mental health care can be a difficult and worrying experience for some people. Giving people the opportunity to do meaningful activities can help provide a structure to their day and reduce stress, frustration and boredom. It can also help to increase their social interactions, relieve anxiety and improve wellbeing. Being engaged in meaningful activities can help to foster an atmosphere of hope and optimism, which can enhance recovery. Activities can help maximise therapeutic benefits and prevent a ward from being seen as a place of containment.

Quality measures

Structure

Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that people staying in hospital have access to meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm.

Data source: Local data collection.

Outcome

Evidence from experience surveys and feedback that people staying in hospital felt they could access meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as mental health trusts) ensure that systems are in place for people staying in hospital for mental health care to access meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm.

Health and social care professionals (such as psychiatrists and mental health nurses) ensure that people staying in hospital for mental health care have access to meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm.

Commissioners (such as clinical commissioning groups and NHS England) ensure that they commission services providing people in hospital for mental health care with meaningful and culturally appropriate activities 7 days a week, not restricted to 9am to 5pm.

People staying in hospital for mental health care can join in with a range of activities, including creative and leisure activities and exercise, 7 days a week, both during the day and in the evening.

Definitions

Meaningful and culturally appropriate activities

Meaningful and culturally appropriate activities should include creative and leisure activities, exercise, self-care and community access activities (where appropriate). Activities should be facilitated by appropriately trained health or social care professionals. [NICE's guideline on service user experience in adult mental health, recommendation 1.6.9]