The Mental Health Nursing research group is developing a programme of high-quality research with the aim of improving the delivery and experience of mental healthcare and mental health nursing across a range of service settings. Staff work across the Health Service and Population Research department in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Our research is collaboratively developed and conducted in partnership with service users, carers, clinicians, service managers and policy makers, and across researcher disciplines. We are building on a body of previous research that has included studies in inpatient and community mental healthcare settings and in the transitions between them. We are also keen to investigate and improve the healthcare and outcomes for people with mental illness and physical health problems. This has included work with people with severe mental illness and type 2 diabetes, the healthcare needs of people with mental illness and physical health problems in acute hospitals, and the mental health needs of people with aphasia following stroke.
Major completed research projects include two large mixed methods studies of recovery-focused care planning and coordination in community (COCAPP) and inpatient mental health services (COCAPP-A), and a programme of research that led to the successful trial and global implementation of the nurse-led Safewards intervention to improve safety on inpatient wards. Ongoing studies we are involved with include the ENRICH trial of peer support for people discharged from hospital, the ASSURED trial to improve the care of people in emergency departments who have self-harmed and/or are suicidal, and the EDITION study developing and testing interventions to improve skills in de-escalation on acute mental health wards. New projects in development include studies of activities on inpatient wards and the use of body-worn cameras in mental healthcare settings.