Abstract
This report presents the findings from the first year of a welfare rights project in an in-patient hospital unit. The study, carried out by a group of service users and carers, found that a considerable amount of time was spent by nursing staff on welfare benefits prior to the introduction of a specialist welfare rights worker. The welfare rights project freed up staff time, reduced patient anxiety about benefits and related problems, and helped patients obtain extra benefit entitlement. Someone with knowledge and dedicated time can be beneficial for patients, their families and carers, and nursing staff and provides a point of contact with the various agencies. However, it became clear that welfare benefit problems can take time to resolve and the projects existence in in-patient units did not fully meet the needs of patients returning to the community or those being treated in the community.
How to Cite
Direct Impact Research Group, & Minogue, V., (2006) “Evaluation of a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Mental Health Welfare Rights Project”, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Research and Practice 3(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.5920/mhldrp.2006.3139
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