More than ever, consumers, carers, families and kinship groups in Australia are demanding more person-centred mental health care responses. There is significant movement towards mental health service planning and models of care as co-produced enterprises, where collaborative methods make the best use of lived experience and professional knowledges. This reflects a growing transformation of mindset and practice, whereby the movements of lived experience, recovery and disability rights, as well as the paradigm of trauma science are requiring shifts from older custodial practices and practitioner centred decision making.

This spotlight report has been generated to explore how the concepts of person-centred care (PCC), and consumer directed care (CDC) are being conceptualised and experienced in Australia’s mental health and suicide prevention systems.

The aim of the report is to highlight the contexts and tensions involved and identify possibilities for improving levels of person-centred and consumer directed care. These are two different concepts, with PCC being a foundation approach in the public health system, including public specialised mental health services, and CDC being the defining approach of the NDIS and many recovery-oriented providers. Many consumers experience both approaches, across multiple services and systems, and both approaches need to be explored from the perspectives of lived experience and practitioners.

The identified outcomes of PCC reported by participants are about quality of service and positive care experiences. Participants identified self-determination, empowerment and inclusion in decision making as key outcomes. They also highlighted that PCC is better able to meet identity related needs and cultural values. Descriptions emphasised important outcomes of psychological and physical safety, and better-quality care relationships where respect, empathy and trust between practitioners, consumers and carers is the foundation.