The NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Showcase, held recently at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London, was a vibrant celebration of progress and partnership in mental health research.
The MH-TRC brings together leading investigators in experimental medicine and early-stage translational mental health research from across the UK to accelerate discoveries into clinical practice.
The event was an opportunity for MH-TRC colleagues and patient and public involvement engagement and participation (PPIEP) contributors to reflect on the recent achievements of the MH-TRC, highlighting areas of strength and identifying opportunities for future development.
Suggestions on future key work fields were made to strengthen efforts to address areas of unmet need and high burden of mental illness.
The day began with a warm welcome from Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and NIHR Chief Executive Officer, who joined remotely. Professor Chappell gave a summary of how the MH-TRC is working to support the UK Government’s missions in growing the economy and building an NHS fit for the future.
Professor Chappell’s speech was followed by an introduction from Professor Rachel Upthegrove, MH-TRC Chair and NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre Director who provided an overview of the MH-TRC and MH-TRC Mission to date.
The agenda featured a rich mix of presentations across four sessions, each chaired by a member of the MH-TRC Leadership team and followed by a Q&A panel.
A standout moment was the “Come Fly with Me” session, led by Dr Lesley Booth, MH-TRC Mission PPIEP Lead. Dr Booth was joined by PPIEP contributors Craig Mackie, Gail Faragher, Terry Bryant and Early Psychosis Researcher and Lived Experience Contributor Dr Sophie Allan.
Together, they shared powerful reflections on the importance of lived experience and co-production in shaping mental health research through a role play depicting an interaction between a researcher and PPIEP contributor.
The session was followed by presentations from the two MH-TRC Mission demonstrator sites. Professor Steven Marwaha, Birmingham’s Mental Health Mission Midlands Translational Centre Co-Lead presented on their work into First Episode Psychosis, children and young people’s (CYP) mental health and mood disorders. Professor Dan Joyce, Co-Director of the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre demonstrator site in Liverpool presented on their work into mental health distress and engagement with Citizen’s Advice.
The second session of the day, chaired by Professor John Geddes, Emeritus Chair of the MH-TRC, featured presentations from four of the MH-TRC workstreams:
- Mood Disorders – Professor Mike Browning presented on the recent mood disorder research clinics opened across the UK
- Early Psychosis – Professor Graham Murray spoke about the recently established Early Intervention in Psychosis Mission study
- Children and Young People’s (CYP) Mental Health – Professor Helen Minnis spoke about work in overcoming barriers to setting up CYP trials
- Data and Digital – Professor John Ainsworth spoke about work with NHS DigiTrials and associated promotion of its use.
After a networking lunch, the afternoon presentations began with a session chaired by Professor Jeremy Hall, Deputy Chair of the MH-TRC. Presentations were heard on:
- UK Mental Health Platform (MHP) –Professor Andrew McIntosh presented on progress in internal and external collaboration with MHP stakeholders
- Capacity Development –Dr Kate Saunders spoke about the recent development of opportunities for clinicians to deliver research
- Substance Use and Addictions –Professor Sir John Strang reflected on the development of initial steps and objectives within the workstream
- Omics and Biobanking –Professor Gerome Breen provided an update on the world’s largest study of anxiety and depression – the GLAD study, and also work to align samples currently being collected.
- Overcoming Barriers to Trial Delivery –Dr Julie Bieles spoke about improving two-way communication between PPI contributors and researcher and hailed the recent success in securing single sign off confidentiality agreements.
The day concluded with a dynamic panel discussion chaired by Dr Bieles, MH-TRC Manager and MH-TRC Mission Operational Lead, titled “What can we achieve in the second half of the MH-TRC Mission and beyond with all of our partners?”
The panel featured Professor Upthegrove, Professor Hall, Professor Geddes, Professor McIntosh and Dr Natalie Owen, Head of NIHR Research Infrastructure.
The session sparked engaging dialogue among MH-TRC colleagues, with valuable suggestions for improvements on digitalisation, community-based research and prevention of mental ill health.
Professor Rachel Upthegrove said: “A huge thank you to everyone who made this event possible and for the incredible amount of work and impact, everyone in the TRC is delivering. The energy, insight and generosity of all involved made this a standout day of learning, reflection and clear purpose which will undoubtedly shape the future of the MH-TRC.”
Dr Julie Bieles said: “It was a pleasure to be able to bring so many of our MH-TRC collaborators together for this face-to-face event. “The PPIEP contribution at the start of the day – and throughout – underlined the importance of involving people with lived experience of mental ill-health in research. This is something that is at the core of the MH-TRC.”
