Public contributor – care pathways for maternal mental health difficulties

Mental health difficulties are common during pregnancy, and after childbirth. This research aims to make care for these difficulties fairer and easier to access. People get lots of different types of care for mental health difficulties – from GPs and mental health services, but also from family and community organisations. Ideally, the types of care people get would depend on what works for their needs, and on their preferences. But that’s not always the case. There are worrying inequalities in people’s experiences of care. Some people seem to be missing out on treatment when their difficulties start, which could lead to their difficulties getting worse. This research will look at who gets different types of care, and when and where they get it.

Similarities and Differences between Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Orthorexia Nervosa: An Online Survey Study

Georgie is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist working in the NHS and conducting research at the University of Oxford on the similarities and differences between Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Orthorexia Nervosa. The aim of the study is to improve understanding of how these eating difficulties overlap or differ, so that identification, clinical understanding, and therapeutic support can be improved. Georgie is inviting individuals to take part in a completely anonymous online survey that takes around 15–20 minutes to complete (with no time limit).

Understanding perspectives on the evaluation of service user involvement in mental health nurse education

Jonny Green is a lecturer and PhD student at University of Surrey. This study is being conducted as part of their PhD programme, aiming to explore the perspectives of service users and mental health nurse educators on what they believe should be considered in the evaluation of service user involvement in mental health nurse education. This study will help develop an understanding of the outcomes to be considered when service user involvement is involved in teaching.

Opportunity to join The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)’s Committees

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is looking for Public Members to help them assess funding applications for health and social care research. They are particularly looking for people with lived experience and/or a good understanding of patient and public involvement in research. This could include experience in reviewing applications, working with researchers, being part of a research study, or serving on committees or advisory groups.

Exploring day-to-day awe experiences in the context of personal recovery in bipolar disorder

Amelia, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at the University of Liverpool, is undergoing a study which aims to explore if and how people with bipolar experience awe in their everyday life and how this affects personal recovery. Awe can take many forms for people and be triggered by a variety of different objects, situations and people. This study aims to explore the association between experiencing awe and coping strategies (skills people use to manage their well-being), self-appraisal of mania and depression (how a person thinks about extreme mood states), positive and negative appraisal affect (how the thinking affects the mood) and personal recovery using a daily diary over 30 days.

Emotional experiences of LGBTQ+ people with lived experience involved in mental health research

Magdalene (she/her) is an MSc Cultural Psychology and Psychiatry student at Queen Mary, University of London. She is conducting a study to explore what it is like for LGBTQ+ people to be involved in mental health research, particularly when they have been asked to be involved because of their experience of mental health difficulties.

Patient Advisory Group member to Lymphoma Benefits and Risks Team at Oxford Population Health, The University of Oxford

The Benefits and Risks Team at Oxford Population Health is a group of doctors, researchers, and patient partners who work together to understand the best ways to treat lymphoma. They look at both the good and the harmful effects of different treatments, using real-life data from people across the UK. By studying this, they hope to help patients and their doctors make more informed choices about care. They are looking for more people with personal experience of lymphoma to join them, so that your voices and experiences can guide their research and make sure it truly meets patients’ needs.

Oldham Mental Health Lived Experience Forum member

North West

The Oldham Lived Experience Forum is a group of people with mental health lived experience that want to actively contribute to the quality of support, prevention and recovery services across Oldham in the Living Well partnership and make them more inclusive, diverse and accessible.

Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Lived Experience Advisory Group

East of England

The Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) is a group of survivors of domestic abuse in Oxfordshire.

Macmillan Cancer Support Innovation Community

National

The Innovation Community, a health initiative by Macmillan Cancer Support, brings together a diverse group of people living with or affected by cancer, sharing their experiences, skills and knowledge enabling Macmillan to shape their Innovation services and products.  

Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) – Service User Network (SUN)

National

Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership hosts a Service User Network (SUN) for people who are interested in contributing to improving the quality of healthcare services.

The EPUT Buddy Scheme (Delivered by the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

East of England

The EPUT Buddy Scheme is a learning opportunity for students in any discipline to learn from lived or living experience of mental health.

Does my body count? Exploring disordered eating in the trans community.

National

This is a fifteen minute online questionnaire about your body image, body dissatisfaction, and eating and exercising behaviours and how gender might influence these.

Cancer Screening, Prevention and Early Diagnosis research at Queen Mary University of London – can you help?

National

Queen Mary University of London are looking for people to get involved in their Cancer Screening, Prevention and Early Diagnosis research. The Centre for Cancer Screening, Prevention and Early Diagnosis (CCSPED) research themes include existing screening approaches, potential early detection technologies, interventions to reduce cancer risk, psychological impact(s) of screening participation, and screening-related inequalities.

Looking for researchers with lived experience of psychosis

National

If you are a researcher with lived experience of psychosis, please consider taking part in this study. It is a qualitative study by the University of Bath investigating a psychosis social identity.

Are you partially sighted or blind? Do you live in the UK?

National

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) Connect Voices network is a UK-wide online group hosted on Facebook.