Mental health, risk communication and data quality in the electronic age

This paper discusses the impact on mental health service users of the computerised healthcare programme currently being developed by the NHS that aims to make healthcare information available on a much wider basis than is currently the case. The potential benefits of electronic health records are considerable in terms of enhancing effective and safe healthcare. Yet electronic databases, whatever their purported aim, open up the potential for greater surveillance in a state where dissidence is becoming less easily tolerated and technological advances allow greater inroads into private lives. With a specific focus upon service users considered to pose a risk to other people, and drawing upon qualitative research jointly conducted by the author, this paper focuses upon the use of risk assessments in practice, the accuracy of information about risk, service users’ rights re access to information, their involvement in risk assessment and the objectivity of risk information. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible outcomes for mental health service users and professionals.