Mental Health

Improving the health of people living with both mental and physical health problems was identified as a priority in the NHS Long Term Plan (2019). More recently, Wellbeing and mental health: Applying All Our Health (2022) has once again highlighted the stark inequality in life expectancy experienced by people with mental ill-health.

Our aim is to address this gross health inequality: by undertaking research to better understand the causes and consequences of living with both mental and physical health problems; and by working with people with lived experience, and NHS, social care and third sector partners to develop and test new approaches, and put research findings into practice.

Our Mental Health theme is led by Professor Simon Gilbody at the University of York and Professor Scott Weich at the University of Sheffield. We have six main workstreams: Natural Environment (including human-animal interaction); Smoking and Mental Health; Social Prescribing; Bridging the Digital Divide; Health Informatics; and Youth Mental Health (joint with the Healthy Families theme).

Mental Health Projects

Mental Health Implementation Network Project 3: high-level alcohol assertive outreach team (AAOT)

A small group of high impact service users with alcohol dependence and comorbid mental health and physical problems disproportionately account for the greatest use of acute hospital admissions and emergency...

Creating an open online course

Following on from a research priority initiative that was to pinpoint the most important questions for people living with mental and physical multimorbidity, we are designing a free online Learning...

NEW Social Prescribing 2: Developing and Testing the Creative Minds Logic Model and Programme Theory

Creative Minds (CM) is an organisation that helps to fund creative activity groups in the community for people who are living with or recovering from a range of mental health...

Making a Difference: Our Latest Mental Health case studies

Meet the Mental Health Team

Ruth Wadman

Research Fellow

Olivia Taylor

Research Associate

Trish Darcy

Research Associate

Our latest Mental Health publications

The delivery of creative socially prescribed activities for people with serious mental health needs during lockdown: Learning about remote, digital and hybrid delivery

Use of the Internet and digital devices among people with severe mental ill health during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions

Use of a modified World Café process to discuss and set priorities for a Community of Practice supporting implementation of ReQoL a new mental health and quality of life Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM)