In the news...
for May 2024 |
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from the Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham
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Hello,
Welcome to our new format IMH newsletter. You’ll find the usual mix of news, events and interesting reads from the Institute of Mental Health all in a new and easy to read email. You’ll now receive a shorter newsletter each month, so we can keep our subscribers up to date with our mental health research news.
This month’s edition includes the announcement of a new and exciting innovation project for young people living with tics and Tourette’s; news from our WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, Disability and Human Rights, plus the latest blogs, events and paper publications.
Professor Martin Orrell
Director, Institute of Mental Health
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Online therapy could bring hope to thousands of young people living with tics and Tourette’s
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A proven new online behavioural therapy package could help the NHS address its current shortage of trained therapists and specialist services needed to support the 1 in 100 children and adults who are living with tics and Tourette’s in the UK.
The new NIHR-funded study, ORBIT-UK, will bring together teams from MindTech HealthTech Research Centre, the University of Nottingham, Great Ormond Street Hospital, East Midlands Health Innovation Network, commercial partner Blüm Health Ltd, and patient organisations Tourette Action and Neuro-diverse.org. To take previously researched and evidence-based online behavioural therapy intervention for tics in young people (known as ORBIT – Online Remote Behavioural Treatment for Tics study) and turn it into a patient-ready digital tool deliverable at scale within the NHS.
With funding from the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme, the new 36 month project will be led by Dr Charlotte Hall (Principal Research Fellow University of Nottingham/MindTech) and Professor Chris Hollis (Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Digital Mental Health/Director of MindTech), who outlined the necessity for this new project.
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"This project represents a huge step forward in our ability to improve access to evidence-based care for thousands of young people with tic disorders, who currently have little or no access to tic behavioural therapy.
“By translating world-leading research from the MindTech ORBIT trial into a tangible ‘NHS-ready’ digital product, we can address a huge unmet need. The project brings together world-leading experts from clinical practice, academic and industry to create the UK’s first guided online digital therapy for tics available for patients within the NHS.”
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The World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, Disability and Human Rights based at the IMH has been re-designated for another four years from the 1st April 2024.
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The successful re-designation builds on the work led by Professor Peter Bartlett and Professor Martin Orrell to support the WHO in its efforts in improving mental health and human rights around the world. This includes managing the global MindBank database of mental health laws and policies, advising the WHO and its associated countries on mental health law, and leading on the development of guidance for good practice and human rights in dementia services across the world. Learn more about the WHO Collaboration on the Institute website. |
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New podcast episode from the Association for Child & Adolescent Mental Health: Exploring the INTEND Project
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In this In Conversation episode, Dr Seonaid Anderson is joined by Dr Maddie Groom to discuss the research project INTEND, alongside a focus on tics and Tourette Syndrome, exploring the evidence-based research, education, treatments, and the influences of the pandemic and social media. Listen to the podcast episode on the ACAMH website or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts, just search for ‘ACAMH’.
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A new paper has been published in the British Medical Journal, ‘Antipsychotics for dementia linked to more harms than previously acknowledged’
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Antipsychotic use in people with dementia is associated with higher risks of a wide range of serious health outcomes compared with non-use, according to a new study from a collaboration across the Universities of Manchester, Edinburgh, Dundee and Nottingham. Higher rates of stroke, blood clots, heart attack, heart failure, fracture, pneumonia, and acute kidney injury were observed in the study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Co-investigator Prof Tony Avery, OBE, University of Nottingham, and NIHR Senior Investigator said: “For many years there have been safety concerns about the use of antipsychotics for managing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, with increased risk of stroke and death being reported. Our study shows that the use of antipsychotics in this group of patients is also associated with other harms including pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, heart failure, fracture, and acute kidney injury. This means that it is even more important to take account of risk of harm when considering prescribing these medicines, and to use alternative approaches wherever possible.”
Read the paper in the British Medical Journal.
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How the term ‘microaggression’ might backfire when used in training in British workplaces
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Written by Dr. Iain Smith, CPsychol
There has been a recent increase in training about microaggressions. The term was first coined by Harvard psychiatrist Chester Pierce in the 1960s. We experience a microaggression when we feel an aspect of our identity has been slighted. This is particularly apparent for stigmatised or marginalised identities. These subtle slights have been shown to have a detrimental effect on people’s wellbeing.
Dr Iain Smith has been studying for his PhD (supervised by Emeritus Professor Amanda Griffiths), and has been exploring the acceptability of this term in workplace training. This follows increased interest in ‘acceptability’ as a precursor to the success of interventions such as training and its transfer into practice. This is important as recent literature shows that resistance and backlash to diversity training are not uncommon.
Dr Smith interviewed HR leaders from businesses across the UK, many of whom shared that they would prefer not to use the term 'microaggression' as it can be perceived as provocative or as technical language that could be off-putting to their employees.
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New stories have been posted on the Dementia Day-to-Day blog, available to read in full on the Institute website.
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Simple and smooth: the power of jazz
Written by Temi Akande
As an avid record collector and jazz enthusiast I have seen and experienced how music can be a source of comfort and excitement.
In dementia care, it has been discovered that jazz's emotional depth, improvisational style, and melodic rhythms significantly impact people with dementia.
From the likes of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, jazz music can provide consolation, companionship, and moments of clarity amongst the mist of memory loss.
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One, two step: dance and dementia
Written by Temi Akande
As someone who has been a dancer for many years, I know first-hand the beauty, joy and connection dance can bring. Combining music and movement offers tremendous advantages to people developing dementia.
Dancing is an expressive art form that enables people to communicate feelings and establish deeper connections with one another. Dancing is a form of self-expression and emotional release for people with dementia who may find it difficult to convey verbally.
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Thanks for the memories!
Written by Dr Karen Harrison Dening
I feel very lucky in my work at times as I get to do things that I never expected to come my way. As a charity Dementia UK are often asked to review films, novels, TV scripts, etc., where there is a character who has dementia.
Over the years this has fallen to me. I have become the charity’s front-line person for such requests. Not sure why. Perhaps because I read a lot of fictional literature and will often tell others of my latest ‘good read’ but also, hopefully, because my opinions are worthwhile.
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Ultra processed food and dementia
Written by Jessica Hoyes
The danger of ultraprocessed food (UPF) is becoming increasingly apparent, with its consumption causing a myriad of health issues including obesity and heart disease.
Globally, diet related disease is the leading cause of premature death, surpassing that of tobacco or any other health risk. A less explored aspect of UPF research is its impact on dementia. With dementia’s prevalence exponentially increasing (predicted to surpass 150 million by 2050), it is vital to explore all potential risk factors, including UPF.
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Dementia care for black and ethnic minorities in the UK
Written by Temi Akande
People from ethnic minority communities may be less likely to obtain a diagnosis, according to research. According to one study, the largest number of diagnoses was observed among White ethnic groupings, while Black and Asian ethnic groups had the lowest percentages.
In the UK, it can be particularly difficult for black communities and other ethnic minorities to get the assistance and care they need for dementia. A combination of cultural, social, and societal structural issues results in hurdles that affect the overall quality of life and diagnosis of dementia patients as well as their carers.
There are differences across different ethnic groups, and little is known about the relationship between older individuals' ethnicity and dementia. Delays in diagnosis could result in some therapies less accessible or effective. Overall, it is predicted that by 2060, the number of dementia cases among ethnic minority groups will have increased by seven times (Saul, 2020).
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What’s Up With Everyone? Exhibition now open
View the exhibition at the Institute of Mental Health, Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30
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From the successful mental health literacy research and animation project ‘What’s Up With Everyone?’ - led by Professor Paul Crawford, Director of the Centre for Social Futures in collaboration with Aardman Animations (Shaun the Sheep, Wallace & Gromit) - comes a new exhibition curated by the Institute of Mental Health.
The exhibition showcases the project development of the five characters which symbolised the five key threads of the project; loneliness and isolation, perfectionism, independence, social media and competitiveness. The drawings, sketches and creative idea process includes the valuable input and research provided by the young people involved in the project's involvement and focus groups, which ultimately helped to shape the final outcome.
The What's Up With Everyone? project launched in 2021 and the animated stories reached over 17 million people within the first four months alone, won various awards and attracted the support of many celebrities and influencers. The exhibition will be open on weekdays at the Institute until late June 2024.
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Help expand our Public Advisory group
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Our Public Involvement Lead Kate Horton, has been working with the Institute’s public advisory group to explore building a wider, more connected community of public contributors, lived experience voices and involved members of the public. The Advisory Group members are inviting any public contributors connected to the Institute to get in touch to help expand on this community and decide collectively what is wanted by the people at the core of our PPIE work. If you are currently working with people and groups for your Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement and lived experience or you are a public contributor or involvement partner then Kate and the group would be delighted to hear from you.
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Abstract call for this years’ IMH Research Day 2024 is open
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Adverse Events and Safety in Digital Mental Health Trials Workshop
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📍 A06, Institute of Mental Health
📅 Monday 13th May 2024 10:00 - 16:00
📂 Register to attend the event on the Institute website.
The free workshop will provide an opportunity to further explore the safety of digital mental health interventions and how adverse events are identified and categorised during trials. It will provide valuable findings from reviews in these areas as well as practical guidelines to inform best practice. Bringing together experts from the University of Nottingham, King’s College London, and the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA).
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Reserve your space for this years' Skellern Lecture
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📍 Jubilee Campus, Lecture theatre 1, Exchange Building
📅 Thursday 13th June 2024 17:00 - 21:00
📂 Further event details can be found here
The Skellern Lecture is a prestigious annual event which celebrates advances in the field of mental health and mental health nursing. This years theme is ‘Breaking the cycles of injustice and servitude’ and will be delivered by Dr Ada Hui (University of Nottingham, Institute of Mental Health). The Institute of Mental Health has been a long-standing supporter of this event, which celebrates the very best practice in mental health nursing. This year’s event will be held in Nottingham on Jubilee Campus.
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Centre for Dementia online seminar:
Music therapy Embedded in the Life Of Dementia Inpatient Care (MELODIC)
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📍 MS Teams
📅 Wednesday 8th May 2024, 11:30 - 12:30
📂 View the event poster here for more details
In the UK, although there is an emphasis on supporting people living with dementia in community or residential care settings, a minority, with the most advanced illness and experiencing severe distress, are cared for in National Health Service (NHS) inpatient mental health wards. MELODIC is an 18-month NIHR funded study to co-design and pilot a standardised music therapy protocol to reduce distress on these wards.
In this presentation speakers, Dr Ming-Hung Hsu and Naomi Thompson will discuss the methodology and methods for the project, in particular how co-design and realist research practices are informing their work.
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Save the date: Forensic Research Nottingham summer symposium
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📍 A floor, Institute of Mental Health
📅 Friday 19th July 2024
Save the date for this year's annual summer symposium hosted by the Forensic Research Nottingham network of researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals based in forensic services.
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We would love to hear from you.
Please visit our website or follow us on our social media pages to
keep up to date with our news and updates. |
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The Institute of Mental Health brings together healthcare staff and academics to lead mental health research designed to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care. We are a partnership between two highly respected organisations, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Nottingham.
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@institutemh institutemh.org.uk
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