We involve practitioners, service users, and community partners. A key aspect of our research is working with vulnerable people and communities, mental health in ageing populations, coercion and safety, service user involvement and partnership working.
Through research we aim:
- To raise the profile of mental health-related research at UCLan by promoting collaborative work between academics, professionals in health and social care, service users, carers and the wider community
- To increase the quality and breadth of research on mental health at UCLan by developing the capacity and capability of researchers and research partners
- To form a better understanding of the nature of mental health, illness and recovery and the conflicting demands on good mental health and social care. This is achieved through high-quality research, development and consultancy that span a number of themes.
Key aims
The key aims of this research group are:
- To ensure the profile of mental health-related research is raised and that collaborations are formed between multi-disciplinary academic, professionals in health and social care, service users, carers and the wider community.
- To increase the quality and breadth of research on mental health at UCLan by developing the capacity and capability of researchers and our academic, clinical and research partners.
- To form a better understanding of the nature of mental health, illness and recovery and the conflicting demands on good mental health and social care.
- To develop knowledge, explore insights and generate solutions that will improve the provision of mental health services and the evidence-based interventions provided within them.
Research
Mental health researchers make an integral contribution to university-wide interdisciplinary work, notably exemplified within the two Institutes, the Lancashire Research Institute for Global Health and Wellbeing and the Lancashire Research Institute of Citizenship, Society and Change, and other centres of research endeavour such as: the UCLan Criminal Justice Partnership, the Centre for Citizenship and Community.
Within this research theme, we pride ourselves on interdisciplinary perspectives and the involvement of practitioner, service user and community partners.
We especially value patient and public involvement (PPI) in all our research endeavours and the inclusion of people with lived experience of mental health, service use and carer experiences.
Impact
A key area of impact focuses on service users’ and carers’ experiences including the funding of a Community Engagement and Service User and Carer Support project, which attracts international recognition.
We provide advice, support and training for mental health service user researchers.
Our ‘Whittingham Lives’ project and bringing together a community of people to investigate and learn from the historical accounts of mental health care hence having a direct local impact but learning that will have a much wider impact.
