What happens when an alternative becomes an addition? Reflections from the first feasibility trial of hearing voices network groups in the NHS

Hearing Voices Groups (HVGs) emerged as a peer-led alternative to traditional mental health support. HVGs aim to deconstruct dominant discourses surrounding voice hearing and provide voice hearers with a space to discuss their voice hearing experiences in depth. Recently, HVGs have started to be run within statutory mental health services, including the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Given the ideological differences between HVGs and NHS services, it is necessary to examine how these groups are being run in statutory settings to prevent them being co-opted. In this reflective piece, we critically reflect on our experiences running an HVG as part of the first feasibility trial of online HVGs in the NHS. We discuss how we adapted the group to run online, and within the NHS, whilst still striving to uphold the distinct ethos of HVGs. We then reflect on the relational dynamics within the group, with a particular emphasis on the role of ideological, institutional, and interpersonal power. We invite ongoing discussion around the challenging questions of if, and how, HVGs should be run in statutory services.