The South West Mental Health Gap Practice Research Network (PRN)
The South West Mental Health Gap Practice Research Network (PRN) is currently being formed. Join our mailing list to hear the latest updates and news about the upcoming launch.
We bring together practitioners (e.g., voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE); NHS), researchers, and Experts by Experience (EbE) across the South West of England to co-design and deliver research to support the needs of clients who fall into the treatment gaps between mental health services.
Our mission is to:
- Support professional development by upskilling key workforces in best practice
- Support Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement within our projects at all stages
- Support local innovation and evaluation in real world settings to solve problems identified by services
- Support the delivery of high-quality formal research innovating and evaluating novel treatments and treatment delivery pathways
- Network with local and national services to co-deliver research
About us
The South West Mental Health Gap PRN is jointly co-ordinated by the AccEPT clinic, University of Exeter and Plymouth University.
The network is supported by funding through AccEPT clinic from the Mental Health Mission (joint funded by the National Institute of Health Research and Office for Life Sciences).
Upcoming CPD events and training
Please get in contact if you come across other CPD or training events that others might be interested in.
- Mood Disorders Centre Think-Tank Seminar Series where invited speakers from around the world present on research related to mood and mental health
Current Projects
We are supporting recruitment to a multi-site trial evaluating the clinical and cost effectiveness of an online, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed transdiagnostic group therapy (Barlow's Unified Protocol) for emotional difficulties in NHS Talking Therapies services.
This trial will give patients more choice of 'high-intensity' (also known as 'Step 3') treatments in NHS Talking Therapies services and is a potential way to reduce waiting lists.
This trial is funded by Innovate UK. The core trial team at the University of Sheffield and Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, together with industry partners have developed a novel digital platform for remote group therapy which will support clinicians and participants throughout the therapy and trial.
Therapists involved in this trial will be delivering five different versions of the group therapy. All five versions cover the same therapy skills, but are in different order. This may help to tell us which aspects of therapy might support early response within treatment.
Project status: We will start recruitment in Devon NHS Talking Therapies services in Spring 2025.
This is one example of innovation within existing services that this network can support with.
A Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) pathway was established in response to a local NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (NHS-TTad) service identifying a significant subgroup of clients were presenting with prolonged grief reactions alongside depression, anxiety and/or PTSD in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What were the aims?
This led to an evaluation of the feasibility and effectiveness of the PGD pathway and the delivery prolonged grief disorder therapy (PGDT) within the Devon NHS-TT service.
Who were involved?
Sarah Goff (Operational and Professional Lead in TALKWORKS Devon NHS TTad service), led the evaluation in partnership with the Mood Disorders Centre, University of Exeter, and a specialist Prolonged Grief centre at Columbia University, USA
How was the evaluation run?
Experienced high-intensity therapists in the service were trained to deliver PGDT. This was supported through a bespoke training and supervision pathway within the service.
During the pilot of the pathway (April 2022-April 2024) 91 clients received PGDT, 81 of whom were included in this evaluation.
What were the findings?
- PGDT was feasible in this NHS-TTad service - 83% (67/81) completed at least 4 treatment sessions and drop out rates were low (16%).
- PGDT was effective in this service
- There were large improvements in combined depression and anxiety outcomes (82% reliable improvement; 72% recovery; 68% reliable recovery)
- and large improvements in grief symptoms (77% achieved reliable improvement on the 'Brief Grief Questionnaire' and 63% recovered)
The take home message- It is feasible and probably effective to implement a PGDT pathway in an NHS-TTad service
You can find the full evaluation article here
What's next?
The pathway has continued in the Devon NHS-TTad service and the hope is to run a larger trial and deliver PGDT in more NHS-TTad services around England.
Have an idea or project in mind?
Complete the project proposal form and have a look at the funding opportunities and resources of support.
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding finder
- NIHR PenARC Knowledge Mobilisation Fellowships (not currently open) https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/news/kmob-fellowships-2024/
If you have an idea of a project, please complete this form
Once we have received this form we will review it and link you up with others in the network to support the project plan template .
If you have discussed a project proposal with PRN members, please complete the project plan template
Coming soon
- NIHR Research Support Service- support to develop competitive funding applications for health, public health and social care research