Support we can offer
The earlier you get in touch with the Mental Health Research Network, the more support we can offer, at no extra cost. Our support is tailored to the needs of your study.
We know about other projects that are already recruiting participants via NHS services and can therefore advise about sites where your study is most likely to succeed. We have an overview of mental health research being undertaken throughout the country and can give you confidential advice on the suitability and feasibility of running your project within the NHS.
People you need to make your study a success
We can put you in touch with people with experience of mental health problems and their relatives who are willing to get involved in studies as advisors or researchers, sharing their personal expertise to make your research question and recruitment practice more relevant and realistic.
We can help you find collaborators and investigators and handle the bureaucracy necessary to get them on board. Our regional offices (called hubs) will negotiate with mental health trusts on your behalf, help get local approvals and complete all the necessary paperwork to make it easy for you to set up your trial or study at as many sites as your project demands, and help you secure the resources you need to make your project run smoothly
Each of our hubs is run by a small team of experienced researchers and mental health professionals who have extensive networks of contacts within mental health, social care and primary care services. They can advise about the practicalities of setting up your research locally, and introduce their contacts.
Helping with recruitment and IT support
Our clinical studies officers come from a variety of backgrounds: some are mental health professionals, including mental health nurses, social workers and occupational therapists. Others are psychology graduates or have previously worked in research. Their job is to identify and recruit eligible participants to MHRN-supported studies, and they are trained to carry out assessments needed for the recruitment process. They can help ease the administrative burden by, for example, negotiating with NHS trusts on behalf of a study team.
e-science officers based at each of our hubs offer research teams specialist IT support and advice. They have invaluable insight into the machinations of local NHS and academic information systems and can help study teams overcome potential difficulties. Our e-science officers can advise on information governance and electronic data capture – and design websites for your study.
Lay summary service and training
Our hubs and coordinating centre staff can help publicise your study and its results. We commission plain English summaries of studies we support that are written by people with experience of mental health problems. The summaries are posted on this website and can be used by study teams.
We sponsor places for researchers involved in MHRN-supported projects on courses run by the National Institute for Health Research, the Clinical Research Network Coordinating Centre or other relevant organisations.
Find out how the MHRN can help you: contact your local hub or the coordinating centre.
page last updated 20 February 2012