Drawing on the findings from a case study of a forum in which users of mental health services are brought into dialogue with officials, the author demonstrates the value of an approach to user involvement in which discourse itself is used as a primary data source. Using her observations of the forum’s meetings, as well as interviews with forum members, the author shows how power is exercised discursively in various apparently trivial ways, ensuring that the forum’s discourse remains within established normative boundaries and serving, ultimately, to reinforce existing institutionally defined power relations.

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This study reports the results of a qualitative study of patient experiences of receiving treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration with ranibizumab (Lucentis) (R) . Treatment involved monthly hospital visits for assessment and, where required, an intravitreal Lucentis injection. Qualitative narrative interviews were conducted with 22 patients, 18 of whom received treatment and were interviewed at two points during their treatment journey. Interviews allowed participants to reflect on their experiences of being assessed for and receiving this treatment. Overall, treated participants reported that while they had been apprehensive about treatment, the actual experience of it was far less unpleasant than they had expected. However, the data also revealed a number of issues surrounding the provision of information about treatment, as well as service delivery issues, which had considerable impact upon their experience.

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Background This paper uses Ju¨rgen HabermasÕs Theory of Communicative Action as a lens through which to examine the development of a local mental health charter.