Research and Development
The Centre was originally created to support mental health policy development and innovation, with a particular orientation toward service user partnerships. The Centre has particularly supported the development of service innovation identified in the National Service Framework, for example Home Treatment and Assertive Outreach services, and continues to support these and more recent initiatives.
Over recent years this has increasingly provided opportunities to undertake research projects that support the focus of the Centre, and is a partner member of the 'Heart of England research hub of the National Institute for Mental Health ( England ).
Black and Minority Ethnic Communities Project
Irish Community Mental Health in Birmingham
'WAP' - Community based mental health nursing innovation in practice and training
Community Mental Health Nurse Education
Mental Health Nursing & Practice Education
Community Mental Health Service Evaluation
World Health Organisation Service Development Programme
Personal Experience of Mental Health
Mapping of MH training/ Services in West Midlands for people diagnosed with Personality Disorder
Ex-In: Experienced Involvement
Black and Minority Ethnic Communities Project
Funder: Department of Health, U.K.
Project commencement: September 2004 Project completion: February 2007
Principal Investigator: Professor Fatemeh Rabiee-Khan (Professor Paula McGee)
Project worker: Paula Smith
An evaluation of the statutory and voluntary mental health service provision in Birmingham for members of the Black African and Black African-Caribbean communities. The research aims to identify strengths and gaps in local services, as well as provide an analysis of funding. It will draw upon experiences of current services amongst service users, as well as the views of both service providers and commissioners. The study has a multi-agency steering group from the local community, and has service users actively involved as part of the project team.
For more information on the project and presentation conference please see the Conference page.
The Project's Summary and Full Reports are available on the Publications page.
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Irish mental health in Birmingham: what is appropriate and culturally-competent primary care?
Funder: Birmingham Health Authority , UK and Birmingham Irish Community Forum
Project commencement: January 2005
Project Completion: July 2008
Project Director and worker: Professor Paula McGee
The aim of this study was to identify the extent of service provision for Irish users of mental health services in Birmingham .
The 2001 Census statistics show that Irish people seem to have worse health than other communities in Britain . Recent changes in health policy mean that the Irish have, for the first time, been identified as a separate minority ethnic group. This means that mental health service providers have to begin to develop a clear picture of their needs. Unfortunately there is little baseline information from which to begin and so the project will be important as the first attempt to build a picture of what is needed in Birmingham .
The study used a mixture of quantitative and qualitative approaches.
Quantitative:
a) mapping statutory and voluntary services available and the extent to which they attempt to meet the needs of Irish people;
b) comparing these services with provision in a city in the Irish Republic .
Qualitative:
c) accessing the experiences of Irish service users in Birmingham ;
d) comparing their experiences with a similar cohort in a city in the Irish Republic .
The Project's Executive Summary and Full Report are available to view or download from our Publications page.
'WAP' - Community based mental health nursing innovation in practice and training
'Community based mental health nursing innovation in practice and training' is a three year EU Leonardo funded project, created to support the development of Community Mental Health Nurse training across member states. The main project partners included England (Birmingham), Germany (Bremen) and Italy (Trieste), each with different experiences in developing non-institutional approaches in mental health. During the three years the project team members also collaborated with colleagues in Finland, Ireland, Netherlands and Norway.
The project generated comparative data about nursing and service structures across partner countries as well as how differences in funding and socio-political agendas have influenced the emergence and development of community mental health services.
Research undertaken by the project team included surveys of nurse' and service user' views about nursing and community based practice and training, and what are the priorities in each country for nurses preparing to work in a community setting.
The various items of data have been used to develop and pilot a post-qualifying training programme for nurses. Service user involvement was a particularly productive component of the programme, and led to a significant contribution in the development and delivery of modules, with the development of indicators for good practice.
Perhaps most interesting is the issues it raised for developing a common post-qualifying programme, and the contribution it makes towards a better understanding of what mental health nursing is:
• Understanding similarities and differences between roles and practices of community mental health nurses from a European-wide perspective.
• A rationale for themes and content for a common European nurses training programme.
• Analysis of the developing role of community mental health nursing from a European perspective.
The project has its own website where additional reading and links will be found: http://www.wap-leonardo.de
Globalisation and the challenge for mental health services report
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Community Mental Health Nurse Education
Funder: European Union, Leonardo Project
Project commencement: May 2002 Project completion: November 2004
Project Director/ Worker: Mervyn Morris
Supports the development of community mental health services in Germany (Bremen), in collaboration with Trieste (also part of ICN - see below). Project includes review of statutory requirements across EU, and development and provision of training for German nurses.
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Mental Health Nursing & Practice Education
Funder: Various contributors
Project commencement: May 2002 Project completion: July 2004
Project Director and worker: Mervyn Morris
Project set up to specifically support training events, funding including consultancy.
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Community Mental Health Service Evaluation
Funder: Care Services Improvement Partnership (formerly NIMH (E), UK )
Health Trust funded appointment.
Project commencement: 2007
Project Completion: 2010
Project Director: Professor Marcellino Smyth
Project Worker: to be confirmed
This project has evolved since the original funding received from NIMH (E), and is now focussed upon supporting service user led service initiatives, specifically to support evaluation and dissemination of projects. Visiting Professor Dr Marcellino Smyth is continuing to develop this project.
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World Health Organisation Service Development Programme
Funder: World Health Organisation
Project commencement: April 2001
Project completion: on-going
Project Director: Mervyn Morris
Project Worker: Consultancy
The World Health Organisation has recognised Birmingham as an exemplar model of community based mental health services, and the Centre has supported WHO programmes in developing countries, previously in Eastern Europe (Kosovo and Albania), and more recently in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Further country development work is currently being discussed, subject to funding support. The Centre remains involved with the WHO developing Countries Programme though is not currently active in the field (the Tsunami programme in Sri Lanka completed in June 2006). The Centre is an invited member of the recently formed WHO Global Forum for Community Mental health, and is currently negotiating use of remaining funds for 2008/2009.
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Personal Experience in Mental Health
Funder: various contributors
Project commencement: April 2001 Project completion: July 2005
Project Director and worker: Mervyn Morris
A wide range of activities have been undertaken in relationship to research on voice hearing, alternative approaches to mental health problems, including consultancy, seminars, conferences and workshops. A further research proposal into experiences of psychosis is currently being developed.
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Mapping of MH training/ Services in West Midlands for people diagnosed with Personality Disorder
Funder: NIMHE West Midlands, U.K.
Project commencement: July 2004 Project completion: January 2005
Project Director: Mervyn Morris
Project Worker: Donna Smart
Short-term project to support regional development of training for staff working with people with PD diagnosis. Part of National Personality Disorder Development Programme.
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Ex-In: Experienced Involvement
Funder: EU Leonardo
Project Commencement: October 2005
Project Completion: October 2007
Project Director/Worker: Mervyn Morris and Alan Rowland of Shared Perspectives ( Birmingham )
This project was a collaboration between a local service user organisation and EU partners from Sweden , Germany , Netherlands , Norway and Slovenia .
The project focussed on the experiences and knowledge of people with lived experience in mental health distress. The project will develop a specific curriculum, different core modules and learning materials as well as a description of teaching and learning strategies and methods. The involvement of qualified experienced people shall improve knowledge about mental health; it shall improve training for mental health professionals and their skills and ultimately improve the delivery of services to be able to meet their user's needs and to contribute to their recovery alongside creating new possibilities of employment for people with lived experiences.
The project report will be published soon and will be available to download.