Communication problems in Swedish Mental Health reform

In a study on the implementation of the Swedish Mental Health reform in the county of Gavleborg in Sweden, attention was called, at an early stage, to the need for relevant theories on the nature of the obstacles that slowed down the reform process. Data had initially been gathered from interviews with persons from all levels of the implementation work. A Grounded Theory (GT) study was carried out using these data in order to generate a theory on the nature of the obstacles. Two separate analyses were made, one based on data from experts and decision makers and the other based on data from consumers and staff. Each of these analyses generated a theory with great explanatory and predictive value. In a further analysis, it became possible to merge the theories into an expanded theory with a greater general validity within the entire field of the Swedish Mental Health reform process. The expanded theory states that the psychiatric reform in Sweden is slowed down by obstacles preventing the transfer of information: 1) between staff in the mental health services and staff in the social services; 2) between social services' care givers and consumers. One reason for not removing these obstacles is that they serve an important purpose for those involved, in terms of preserving group identity, which gives them the opportunity to exert influence on their situation and provides room for manoeuvring.