2. What is shared decision making?

As the name suggests, shared decision making is the process by which service users are partners in the decisions that are made about their care.

Shared decision making is promoted in research and policy as an aim for contemporary healthcare practice. This is in response to calls from service users for greater information and involvement in all areas of healthcare. However, research has also shown that shared decision making and increased participation can lead to improved outcomes for patients.

In this resource we will explore how shared decision making applies to mental health services and the implications that it can have for your own practice.