Community Mental Health Workers' Experiences of Care‐Coordinating Hospital Discharge of Patients With Diagnosis of Mental Health Condition Into Community Mental Health Integrated Services in the Northwest of England

ABSTRACT

The significance of community mental health workers in coordinating hospital discharge of patients with diagnosed mental health conditions is globally recognised, yet research on their experiences is scarce. This study contributes to knowledge through a qualitative empirical intrinsic case study of community mental health workers' experiences. This study aimed to explore community mental health workers' experiences of care‐coordinating patients diagnosed with mental health conditions discharged from the hospital into community mental health integrated services. Guided by constructivist inquiry, the qualitative study focused on co‐constructing meaning to understand community mental health workers' experiences in care coordination. Two theoretical lenses informed the study: Ecological Systems Theory, to understand multi‐level influences, and Normalisation Process Theory, to explore how care coordination practices are embedded in discharge processes. Fourteen community mental health workers aged 18 and above were recruited from one NHS Trust in Northwest England from October 2021 to June 2022. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using reflective thematic analysis, generating themes and subthemes. Analysis identified 13 subthemes grouped into four major themes: (1) Experiences of collaborative working; (2) Challenges and enablers to care coordination; (3) Experiences of organisational system and culture; and (4) Community Mental Health Workers' personal experiences of professional growth. Findings highlight poor communication, staff shortages, high caseloads, limited community mental health services, and challenges in care coordination. The study provides valuable insights for improving community mental health workers' clinical practice and informs future research and policy development in community mental health care.