Incorporating the principles of Spiritually Competent Practice in mental healthcare: A qualitative exploration with service users

Though service users may view them as an important aspect of care, spiritual issues are often neglected by mental health professionals. This study explored the experiences and perceptions of mental health service users in the United Kingdom around the integration of spirituality in their care. Two new concepts which support the implementation of spirituality into clinical practice; “Spiritually Competent Practice” and “Availability and Vulnerability”, were also examined.
Qualitative data were obtained via a web-based survey (n=170) and semi-structured interviews (n=6) carried out during 2021. The data were analysed thematically and organised into four overarching themes: Spirituality and mental health care, Perceptions of spirituality, Spiritually Competent Practice and Availability and Vulnerability.

Findings in this study showed that service users valued the integration of spirituality into mental healthcare and saw the recognition of individuals’ spiritual needs as important, but reported this was lacking in their experience. Participants provided rich and nuanced reflections on the concepts of “Spiritually Competent Practice” and “Availability and Vulnerability” as a means to address this gap. Findings pointed to the need for adequate training to ensure the implementation of these concepts into practice is both evidence-informed and resonant with the service user.