- Section 1 The Subject Matter of and Approach to Psychiatry
- 1.3 Psychiatry as a worldwide public health problem
- 1.4 The history of psychiatry as a medical specialty
- 1.5 Ethics and values
- 1.6 The psychiatrist as a manager
- 1.7 Descriptive phenomenology
- 1.8 Assessment
- 1.9 Diagnosis and classification
- 1.10 From science to practice
- Section 2 The Scientific Basis of Psychiatric Aetiology
- 2.3 The contribution of neurosciences
- 2.4 The contribution of genetics
- 2.5 The contribution of psychological science
- 2.6 The contribution of social sciences
- 2.7 The contribution of epidemiology to psychiatric aetiology
- Section 3 Psychodynamic Contributions to Psychiatry
- Section 4 Clinical Syndromes of Adult Psychiatry
- 4.4 Persistent delusional symptoms and disorders
- 4.5 Mood disorders
- 4.6 Stress-related and adjustment disorders
- 4.7 Anxiety disorders
- Section 5 Psychiatry and Medicine
- Section 6 Treatment Methods in Psychiatry
- 6.2 Somatic treatments
- Section 7 Social Psychiatry and Service Provision
- 7.1 Public policy and mental health
- 7.2 Service needs of individuals and populations
- 7.3 Cultural differences care pathways, service use, and outcome
- 7.4 Primary prevention of mental disorders
- 7.5 Planning and providing mental health services for a community
- 7.6 Evaluation of mental health services
- 7.7 Economic analysis of mental health services
- 7.8 Psychiatry in primary care
- 7.9 The role of the voluntary sector
- 7.10 Special problems
- Section 8 The Psychiatry of Old Age
- Section 9 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The role of the voluntary sector
- Chapter:
- The role of the voluntary sector
- Author(s):
Vanessa Pinfold
and Mary Teasdale
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199696758.003.0189
The voluntary sector is a dynamic and vital part of any mental health system. Rooted in the experiences of mental health service users and carers, voluntary sector organizations across the world ensure that the voices of ‘experts by experience’ directly influence campaigns, policy debates, service redesign, and project planning and treatment guidelines. The sector is, however, fragile and in some countries organizations are increasingly dependent on state funding which could undermine their autonomy and independence. Psychiatrists can support their local voluntary organizations by joining them—as members, as campaigners, and as educators. The sector can also support psychiatrists, helping to transform the public image of psychiatry and encouraging young people to take an interest in mental health as a career option. The alliances forged with psychiatrists and their representative bodies are crucial for improving the quality of mental health services and to effectively tackle stigma and discrimination. We do need each other in order to deliver better outcomes for mental health service users and their families.
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- Section 1 The Subject Matter of and Approach to Psychiatry
- 1.3 Psychiatry as a worldwide public health problem
- 1.4 The history of psychiatry as a medical specialty
- 1.5 Ethics and values
- 1.6 The psychiatrist as a manager
- 1.7 Descriptive phenomenology
- 1.8 Assessment
- 1.9 Diagnosis and classification
- 1.10 From science to practice
- Section 2 The Scientific Basis of Psychiatric Aetiology
- 2.3 The contribution of neurosciences
- 2.4 The contribution of genetics
- 2.5 The contribution of psychological science
- 2.6 The contribution of social sciences
- 2.7 The contribution of epidemiology to psychiatric aetiology
- Section 3 Psychodynamic Contributions to Psychiatry
- Section 4 Clinical Syndromes of Adult Psychiatry
- 4.4 Persistent delusional symptoms and disorders
- 4.5 Mood disorders
- 4.6 Stress-related and adjustment disorders
- 4.7 Anxiety disorders
- Section 5 Psychiatry and Medicine
- Section 6 Treatment Methods in Psychiatry
- 6.2 Somatic treatments
- Section 7 Social Psychiatry and Service Provision
- 7.1 Public policy and mental health
- 7.2 Service needs of individuals and populations
- 7.3 Cultural differences care pathways, service use, and outcome
- 7.4 Primary prevention of mental disorders
- 7.5 Planning and providing mental health services for a community
- 7.6 Evaluation of mental health services
- 7.7 Economic analysis of mental health services
- 7.8 Psychiatry in primary care
- 7.9 The role of the voluntary sector
- 7.10 Special problems
- Section 8 The Psychiatry of Old Age
- Section 9 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry