Abstract

Values based practice is now an old concept in mental health, yet there is little evidence to show what values professionals have and how these are put into practice in their decision making. Perhaps more than any other professional role, values and principles are central within Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) training and practice, enforced by clear sets of training requirements and statutory competencies, and, given that AMHPs are intervening at the extreme end of mental health practice, understanding the values that guide such decisions is vital.

This paper explores, through an analysis of practitioners’ reflective statements, the values held by nursing and social work professionals at the start of their AMHP training. The study demonstrates that concepts such as respect, honesty, inclusivity, and being non-discriminatory are common themes within practitioners’ understandings of their own value bases. We also consider the role of professional background and gender on values, and show that the influence of practitioners’ family backgrounds is a major factor in determining a person’s values.