Implementing Trauma-Informed Care: What Is It like for Experts by Experience?

Background: Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach to service delivery which recognises that many people have experiences of trauma and aims to embed this knowledge into the way services operate to minimise the chances of retraumatisation (Harris & Fallot, 2001). Including the perspective of Experts by Experience – people with lived experience of trauma and mental health services – is a key feature of how TIC is implemented (Sweeney et al., 2016). Within the UK, TIC is increasingly being adopted by healthcare services, although little is currently known about what it is like for Experts by Experience to undertake this work.

Aims: This study aims to explore what it is like for Experts by Experience to implement TIC within UK healthcare services.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 12 Experts by Experience who had been involved in implementing TIC within UK healthcare services. Interviews were analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results: Two main themes were generated, ‘Implementing TIC is distressing and traumatising’ and ‘Positive changes from implementing TIC’, as well as five subthemes.

Conclusions: The themes generated from the interviews highlighted the way participants were invited to undertake TIC projects, paradoxically, was often done in a way which added to their distress. Although participants also highlighted the positive impact that implementing TIC can have on them and their relationships with colleagues, the results nonetheless raise questions as to whether it is ethical to invite Experts by Experience to implement TIC within the current service context. Various recommendations are made, including adopting a Human Rights Based Approach. Practical steps to reduce the chance of re-traumatisation of Experts by Experience are also provided.