In the news...
for September 2024
|
|
from the Institute of Mental Health, Nottingham
|
|
|
|
Hello,
Welcome back to our monthly round-up of Institute news after a brief summer break.
This month we begin a new research project based in forensic mental health services. Over the past few years we have supported the expansion of academic teams and research in this area and now host the Forensic Research Nottingham group and annual forensic mental health research events (scroll down to read more about the 2024 Trent Study Day), alongside our patronage of the long-standing “Personality and Mental Health” journal.
Our long-standing commitment to developing research across a range of mental health fields has also been demonstrated by the recent recommendations for the QbTest diagnosis tool from NICE. Originally a research trial hosted within the Institute 10 years ago, this assessment tool is now helping to revolutionise ADHD diagnosis in the UK.
I hope you enjoy this month’s edition.
Professor Martin Orrell
Director, Institute of Mental Health
|
|
|
'Notts Healthcare forensic researchers to lead national project to improve collaboration in risk assessments'
|
|
|
A new NIHR-funded forensic mental health research project will begin in September 2024, evaluating the current use of collaborative approaches to risk assessment and management planning in adult secure mental health services, to establish what works in what scenarios and help improve patient experiences and outcomes. CORAS (COllaborative Risk ASsessment and management across the forensic mental health pathway in England) is a research project funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme and will explore this important evidence gap, because a) there is potential to improve outcomes if implemented more effectively and consistently, and b) it is likely to vary between different groups of people, which may worsen inequality and poor outcomes. The project will be led by Dr Daniel Whiting (Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust/University of Nottingham), Professor Seena Fazel, and supported by Nottinghamshire Healthcare's Dr Cat Jeynes and Naomi Clifford, alongside specialist academics, an experienced patient and public involvement (PPI) leader and charitable organisation, Rethink Mental Illness. |
|
|
The QbTest, from the AQUA-Trial, could revolutionise ADHD diagnosis, following recommendation from The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
|
ADHD assessments currently rely on subjective behavioural ratings from interviewing parents, teachers, carers and the patient, but this can be a lengthy process, leading to long waiting lists and difficulties in getting a diagnosis. There have been calls for more objective tests which would increase both the speed and accuracy of the diagnosis. The AQUA-Trial, a randomised controlled trial which was undertaken by members of the Institute, Professor Chris Hollis, Professor Maddie Groom, and Dr Charlotte Hall back in 2014-2016, investigated whether an objective computerised test, the ‘QbTest’ measuring a patient’s attention and impulsivity, could help improve the assessment of ADHD. The QbTest is now used within Notts Healthcare, in the CAMHS Developmental Neuropsychiatry Tic Disorder Service led by Chris, in the CAMHS ADHD Specialist Team (CAST) led by Kapil Sayal and has been trialled in other NHS Health Innovation Networks across the country. In August, the test was recommended for use for ADHD diagnosis in new NICE guidelines, suggesting it is used in conjunction with existing methods of diagnosis to speed up and improve clinical assessments. This exciting news has been shared across news outlets, including comments from Professor Maddie Groom appearing in the Guardian and the test could be used nationally throughout the NHS very soon. |
|
|
“Going through life on hard mode” is a new qualitative study paper, published by CANDAL member Dr Blandine French, about the experience of late diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD |
The qualitative paper delves into the experiences and impact of receiving a late diagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism in adulthood. Dr Blandine French and Dr Sarah Cassidy interviewed seven healthcare professionals and 13 late-diagnosed adults (five autistic, five with ADHD and three with dual diagnoses) to gather their research. From the analysis they developed five themes, representing the journey and factors influencing participants’ experiences of receiving a late diagnosis:
- The key role of relationships and mental well-being
- The wider impact on well-being and life-long mental health
- Understanding: the answer to post-diagnosis changes
- The flip side of diagnosis - the burden of a label
- Are you ready - the importance of timing
|
|
|
|
Operation Divan was set up by North Yorkshire Police and works with young people (YP) and their families to educate them and raise awareness of the consequences of carrying a knife to reduce the number of YP carrying a weapon. The intervention focuses on early prevention and works to help prevent the criminalisation of young people, keep them safe and promote culture change around attitudes to carrying a knife.
|
|
|
|
People with mild-moderate depression needed for a study on how two types of non-invasive brain stimulation might work together
|
The study is based at the Queen’s Medical Centre and University of Nottingham Jubilee campus. The Centre for Mood Disorder researchers are looking at how two types of non-invasive brain stimulation (“neuromodulation”) work in the brain, by studying changes in brain activity and recognition of emotions in faces. Participants will have measurements of brain activity and emotion recognition before and after a small number of neuromodulation sessions. The study consists of a screening appointment, then six separate sessions spread across six weekdays. Please note that this is a mechanism of action study, not a treatment study. Participants will receive a gift voucher for their time. Participant requirements:
- Aged 18-59 inclusive
- Meet criteria for mild-moderate severity depression (people with this severity of depression will have persistent low mood/enjoyment that impacts at least one area of their life, but will still be able to do the things they need to do day-to-day)
- Not under the care of, or requiring, inpatient or Crisis services
- Not have diagnoses of bipolar disorder, psychosis, cognitive impairment or substance misuse
To find out more, and for a screening questionnaire to see if you are able to participate, please email lpxyp1@nottingham.ac.uk |
|
|
How virtual reality therapy is shaping mental health
|
A recent news article published in Nature Medicine, references gameChange, a project delivered by MindTech and the Research Delivery Team at the Institute. Psychologists started using virtual reality (VR) years ago to treat phobias, and it is now being used for a range of mental health issues. VR can be used to replicate certain everyday situations to allow participants who might find these situations stressful or anxiety inducing to practice how they would react and help them gain confidence.
gameChange, an NHS approved VR-based cognitive therapy with a built in virtual therapist voiced by a real person, is an example of that. Allowing patients with psychosis, particularly those who also experienced agoraphobia, to re-engage and experience different scenarios such as; a café, a general practice waiting room or a bus. The programme guides the patient, helping them work through the situations and practice techniques to overcome difficulties, that can then be applied to real life situations in the future.
|
|
|
Watch the recordings from the Adverse Events in Digital Mental Health Trials seminar in May
|
If you missed the Adverse Events in Digital Mental Health event which happened in May, or would like to recap the information shared during the event, the presentation recordings have now been uploaded to the Institute Vimeo account and are available to watch on the Institute website.
|
|
|
|
The event was organised by University of Nottingham Senior Research Fellow and member of MindTech Dr Joanna Lockwood, and was a wonderful amalgamation of artists, educators, creatives and young people talking about the importance of creativity, particularly comics and graphics to support mental health.
The day began with a 'quickfire round' of short talks from various speakers, including;
- "What's Up With Everyone?" from the Centre for Social Futures, and how PPI was used to successfully develop a series of characters and short videos with young people that had a focus on different mental health challenges they experience.
- Matt Gill from Nottingham based platform Raw Print, discussed the 'power of print' particularly through zine therapy, zine making and celebrating the tangible joy of reading a zine.
- Madeleine Burt, a freelance illustrator looking at the inner workings of the mind. Using drawing as a creative outlet to understand how text and image work together, to represent the process of thinking and how the brain works in relation to creativity.
- Followed by a Q&A webinar with Ethan and Naomi Sacks, a father and daughter duo from New York, talking about their graphic novel with a supernatural twist, 'A Haunted Girl' inspired by Naomi's own experience of mental health as a young person. They also teamed up with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to ensure they included important resources and messaging to support their young readers.
The event concluded with a small exhibition of the works spoken about. Digital Youth presented some graphic illustrations (pictured above) developed after a series of workshops, which brought together young people and researchers. A local comic artist, who was also present at the workshops, then used the thoughts and ideas spoken about to develop a range of informative illustrations around digital resilience and meaningful digital engagement.
|
|
|
'Dementia and Poetry: Narratives of Wards and Words' written by Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode, has been published to the Institute blog
|
|
Dr Ayokunmi Ojebode FHEA is a creative writer, lecturer and researcher, with experience working as a Mental Health Support Worker with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Volunteer Call Companion for the Alzheimer’s Society and an Honorary Research Fellow at the School of English, University of Nottingham. The blog post includes two poems, 'Mama I Did It Again!' and 'Unwelcomed Couples', compiling Ayokunmi's extensive experience caring for service users within the NHS dementia wards into a poetry collection. The poems reveal different moving stories about dementia and reflecting on the different encounters that occur on the wards. Whilst highlighting the importance of nurses and carers understanding the love language, body communication and emotional needs of people with dementia.
|
|
|
Are you an Education Professional supporting parents/children from ethnic minority groups with neurodevelopmental disorders? The EXPAND project, funded by the NIHR, is looking to hear from you, complete their survey or join their online focus groups.
|
The EXPAND project (Exploring the EXPeriences of Accessing services and understanding Neurodevelopmental Disorders for ethnic minorities in England) are looking to understand the experience of families from BAME communities who have a child with a diagnosed or suspected diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder, e.g. autism, ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s. They are conducting a series of short interviews, online focus groups and surveys to gather insights. View the poster below for more information, or learn more about the project on the Institute website.If you are interested, please contact EXPAND@nottingham.ac.uk |
Setting priorities for future dementia and hearing research
|
Colleagues from the University's School of Medicine are gathering feedback to help understand what questions about dementia and hearing conditions are most important for new research, part of the James Lind Alliance Dementia and Hearing Conditions Priority Setting Partnership. The outcomes of this partnership will help shape future research about co-existing dementia and hearing conditions. The team are particularly interested in gathering views from people from ethnic minority backgrounds. |
|
|
Echoes of Resilience
Monday 23rd September - Friday 1st November
|
Echoes of Resilience, an exhibition on the Ukraine War, will open in late September, exhibiting a range of paintings and pictures from both UK and Ukrainian based artists. The exhibition has been curated by Transform Mental Health CIC, a Nottingham based not-for-profit organisation. View the exhibition at the Institute of Mental Health, Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30 |
|
|
|
Save the date for this year's Trent Study Day, and poster abstract submission is open
|
📍 A floor, Institute of Mental Health
📅 Friday 22nd November 2024
📂 For more information, visit the Institute website
The date for this year's Trent Study Day has been announced and the call for poster abstracts is now open.
This year's theme is "Use of technology in forensic mental health – concerns and opportunities”
- We encourage you to send in your poster abstracts early!
- Abstract decisions will be sent to you after the closing date in October
- Abstracts will be accepted as long as they are relevant to mental health, so they do not have to be around the conference theme.
- There will be a prize for the best poster - attendees will be invited to vote on the day
Poster abstract form can be found online here
Keep an eye out in future communications for more information, the event programme and how to book tickets.
|
|
|
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. |
|
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.
|
|
|
|
@institutemh institutemh.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
