Innovation in Policy, Systems and Services

The Institute for Mental Health

Increasing evidence shows that current approaches to preventing or responding to mental health difficulties could be more effective. There's a pressing need for more effective interventions and a robust mental health service framework to support individuals of all ages. Addressing broader life factors, like living and working conditions, is crucial to improving mental well-being and access to opportunities.

Please contact the Innovation in Policy, Systems and Services Research Theme Leads for further information:IMH Research Theme Lead - Dr Sarah-Jane Fenton
IMH Research Theme Co-Lead - tbc

Our current research

EURIPIDES

Evaluating the Use of Patient Experience Data to Improve the Quality of Inpatient Mental Health Care’ (EURIPIDES)

Key people: Dr Sarah-Jane Fenton

As part of a collaborative study funded by NIHR, a team from the Universities of Birmingham, Warwick, Sheffield and Queen Mary University of London, together with the Mental Health Foundation interviewed staff and patients across NHS mental health trusts in England and found that few are collecting patient feedback to actively improve services. Of those trusts that do, only a quarter put their feedback to good use but, still only used it to create environmental rather than change to care services.

  • A new policy briefing into the study has found that service improvements should never be led by complaints alone; but by listening to what works well for patients, NHS trusts have a real opportunity to empower both staff and patients.

ODDESSI

Open Dialogue: Development and Evaluation of a Social Network Intervention for Severe Mental IIlness (ODDESSI)

Key people: Professor Jerry Tew, Dr Sarah Carr

This is the first randomised trial of a radical new approach to delivering mental health services that has been developed in Finland – and is funded by NIHR. Jerry Tew and Sarah Carr are leading on the qualitative evaluation of the experience of individuals and their family and social networks, and on the involvement of peer practitioners in the delivery of the model.

Learn more about the research

Care Act: building social resources for people in the community

Key people: Professor Jerry Tew, Dr Karen Newbigging, Dr Sarah Carr

The introduction of the Care Act 2014 places a responsibility on Local Authorities to promote people’s wellbeing and to prevent, reduce or delay their need for social care. This study, funded by the Department of Health Policy Research Programme is investigating different initiatives by which Local Authorities are seeking to build the capacity and capability of communities, families and individuals.

Avoidable Harm in Mental Health Social Care (AHMHSoC) Study

Key people: Dr Sarah Carr

The question this user-led research is investigating is ‘how do mental health service users in England conceptualise and experience social and psychological ‘avoidable harm’ in social care and what are their recommendations for its minimisation in practice?’ Sarah Carr is Principal Investigator for this study and is working with Angela Sweeney from St George’s University of London and Tina Coldham, an independent service user researcher. The research is funded by NIHR School for Social Care Research.

Mental Health Policy Research Unit

Key people: Dr Sarah Carr, Dr Karen Newbigging

The NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit (MHPRU) was established at UCL and KCL in 2017. The aim is to help the Department of Health and Social Care and others involved in making nationwide plans for mental health services to make decisions based on good evidence. MHPRU make expert views and evidence available to policymakers in a timely way and carry out research that is directly useful for policy. The MHPRU is managed by academics at UCL and KCL in partnership with collaborators from University of Birmingham. Sarah Carr is the lead for service user and carer involvement and co-production at MHPRU.

UKRI Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health Network

Key people: Dr Sarah Carr

The Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health is a research network that will bring together many different relative perspectives on this topic. It is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a body that brings together UK Research Councils in different fields. It is one of eight UKRI-funded researcher networks. It brings together researchers, health practitioners, charities, people with lived experience of mental health problems and loneliness, and other organisations to address important mental health research questions. Researchers include clinical researchers, psychologists, social scientists, service users, neuroscientists and specialists in the arts and in digital innovations. Sarah Carr is the lead for co-production in the Network.