ABSTRACT
It would be misleading to suggest that there is one ‘service-user’ view on ‘evidence’ or the ‘production of evidence’. Even the term ‘service user’ is contentious and lacking agreed definition. It is associated with not only mental health service users/survivors, but also a wide range of people who are or have been long-term users of health and social care. This includes people with learning difficulties, older people, people with physical and sensory impairments, people living with HIV/AIDS and so on. These groups have their own movements and organisations. Such organisations themselves vary considerably in their nature and purpose, from self-help to campaigning organisations, as well as innovative organisations which combine both roles (e.g. Campbell & Oliver, 1996; Campbell, 1999; Wallcraft et al, 2003). Many service users who take part in mental health debates and developments are affiliated to such organisations, although some are not. There are now local, regional, national, European and international service-user organisations. There are also links and overlaps between different groups of service users, so that, for example, some mental health service users/survivors are also involved in disabled people’s organisations, and there are discussions and shared learning between different service user constituencies (Beresford et al, 2002).
