Feature articles
The PATTERN for progression in mental health research (182kb)
The government has recently announced a new policy addressing the disparities between physical health and mental health services. Their intention is to achieve “parity of esteem” for all patients. But what about patients’ research opportunities? The Mental Health Research Network has recently supported PATTERN, a non-interventional schizophrenia study sponsored by Roche Products Ltd. The collaboration between Network and sponsor secured first global patient for the study and provides valuable insights into what is being done to improve access to research within mental health.
Making outcomes matter (PDF, 119kb)
Questionnaires are routinely used by researchers to give an insight into a person’s mental health and to gauge the success of mental health treatments, services and packages of care. But sometimes patients have a different view to that of the clinician or researcher about which outcomes matter most. The Mental Health Research Network recently joined that debate by asking service users if, in their opinion, questionnaires do the job they’re supposed to.
MHRN helps clinicians and researchers to work hand-in-hand (PDF, 382kb)
A pilot scheme organised by the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN) in East Anglia is providing trainee psychiatrists the opportunity to get involved with one of the region’s key psychiatry research projects.
Size matters (PDF, 128kb)
Find out how the Mental Health Research Network and the Primary Care Research Network are supporting a step change in mental health research by overcoming barriers to multi-site studies of treatment regimes for depression.
Casting light on Community Treatment Orders (PDF, 137kb)
Since thier introduction in 2008 there has been a great deal of discussion about the efectiveness of Mental Health Community Treatment Orders. The Mental Health Research Network is hoping to help inform mental health policy and practice by supporting a study investigating this highly controversial area.
Minding the mental health care gap (PDF, 125kb)
Professor Swaran Singh and his team, supported by the Mental Health Research Network identified for the first time, the size and nature of the ‘care gap’ between child and adult mental health care services. The findings from the TRACK study revealed that only four per cent of youngsters who took part in the research received the transitional care service considered ‘good’ practice by health professionals.
Siblings could hold the key to drug addiction (PDF, 230kb)
Cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs on the illicit drug market. However, not everyone who uses it gets hooked. The Mental Health Research Network supported the Addiction Endophenotypes study to find out why some people seem more vulnerable than others to developing dependence.
TEAMwork is key to recruitment success (PDF, 136kb)
Care of confused older people in hospital is difficult and widely believed to be poor. The TEAM study, supported by the Mental Health Research Network, sought to determine whether patients treated in a specialised Medical and Mental Health Unit (MMHU) have better outcomes of care than those treated in standard care wards.
