We want everyone who uses our services to get the chance to take part in research. Research that interests them and fits their need. Our research studies directory lists the current studies that are looking for participants.
Aims
Black Health Legacy is a study for, and led by, Black, Black African and Black Caribbean people living in the UK. It uses health and genetic information to find better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease in the future. Participants will be asked to complete a short questionnaire and provide a saliva (spit) sample.
PI: Dr Robert Lawrence
Eligibility
People who identify as Black or having a Black ancestry.
Participants who have a confirmed diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease (regardless of Ethnicity)
Participants who have a confirmed diagnosis of Thalassemia (regardless of Ethnicity)
Aims
The study aims to further our understanding of the personal qualities of therapists that promote trust and to develop a performance based screening tool that measures personal qualities of psychological practitioners.
Eligibility
The study is looking for the below psychological practitioners to take part:
Assistant Psychologists
Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners
Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners
Primary Care Mental Health Practitioners
Aims
Advancing precision medicine
Improving our understanding of the treatment of early psychosis.
Creating a Research Register
PI: Isabella Sturdy
Eligibility
Between ages 16 and 65
Recorded history of FEP within the last three years and enrolment in an EIP Service.
OR
Identified as ARMS, also known as CHR-P and enrolment in an EIP Service
Able to give informed written consent
Aims
An online survey and saliva sample to explore the genetic links of eating disorders.
PI: Dr Joel Khor
Eligibility
Aged 16+
Individuals currently experiencing/have experienced an eating disorder in the past.
Aims
An online survey and saliva sample to explore the genetic links of anxiety and depression.
PI: Maria Herczega
Eligibility
Aged 16+
Individuals experiencing clinical levels of depression and/or anxiety or have experienced these in the past.
Aims
Creating a large dataset of individuals diagnosed with Schizophrenia/ Psychosis, Depression, Bipolar disorder, Mild/Subjective Cognitive Impairment (MCI/SCI). This dataset will be used to investigate how genomics, other biological measures and non-biological risk factors are associated with these conditions and their outcomes.
PI: Dr Robert Lawrence
Eligibility
18+
Diagnosis of Depression OR Schizophrenia/Psychosis OR Bipolar OR Mild Cognitive Impairment
Aims
Investigate the social and biological causes and impacts of a broad range of health conditions and illnesses in people from Black communities in the United Kingdom.
PI: Dr Ayodele Peters
Eligibility
People who identify as Black or having a Black ancestry.
Participants who have a confirmed diagnosis of Sickle Cell Disease (regardless of Ethnicity)
Participants who have a confirmed diagnosis of Thalassemia (regardless of Ethnicity)
Aims
A trial aiming to investigate whether flexibly dosed ondansetron can effectively treat hallucinations in Parkinson’s disease. It also assesses the drug’s safety, tolerability, and cost effectiveness for NHS use.
PI: Dr Robert Lawrence
Eligibility
Adults aged 18+
Meet Movement Disorder criteria for Parkinson’s disease
Presence of visual hallucinations at least weekly in the previous month
Stable dose of anti-Parkinson’s medication, cholinesterase inhibitor or memantine for at least 28 days.
If treated with an antipsychotic drug at the time of enrolment, can still participate, provided the drug is stopped the day before trial medication is commenced.
Aims
Testing a new system of lithium testing, called point-of-care. The study aims to investigate whether this point-of-care testing improves lithium monitoring and therefore better physical and/or mental health.
PI: Dr Robyn-Jenia Wilcha
Eligibility
Aged 18 and above.
Able to give informed consent.
A clinical diagnosis of an affective disorders.
Taking lithium, with monitoring due every 3 months for the upcoming 6 months and be due for monitoring at the time of consent i.e., due to undergo three serum level tests during the study period (i.e. at baseline, month 3 and month 6).
Aims
Optimising community care (education) and treatment reviews through understanding the experience of people with learning disability and autistic people. The study aims to investigate their
impact on care.
PI: Sophia Zisman
Eligibility
Children/adolescents (aged between 14 and 17 years, inclusive) or adults (≥ 18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of learning disability or autism
Under the care of a community mental health service (e.g. CAHMS, CLDT, CMHT).
Rated as red or amber on the DSR
Aims
Understanding if genetic testing (saliva sample) could be used to inform the prescribing of psychotropic medications.
PI: Dr Hamid Rahmanian
Eligibility
Aged 18+
ICD10 diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. ICD10 codes F20 to F31
Patient participants are taking or planning to take an antipsychotic medicine.
Capacity to consent.
Aims
A one-off blood sample to detect the presence of antibodies and understand its relationship to psychosis.
Recruiting from wards and EIS only.
PI: Dr Francesca Ducci
Eligibility
Aged 16-70
Psychosis (First Episode Psychosis or relapse)
No neurological disorders.
Aims
Explore whether ADHD changes how psychosis affects people who are autistic, have ADHD, or both. The aim is to help health and care teams give better support, so people get the help they need in the way that works best for them.
PI: Hamid Rahmanian
Eligibility
Aged 18+
Diagnosis of first episode psychosis
In receipt of care from any form of adult community mental health service.
In remission (not actively in distress)
Able to give informed consent
Able to understand written/spoken English
Explore whether ADHD changes how psychosis affects people who are autistic, have ADHD, or both. The aim is to help health and care teams give better support, so people get the help they need in the way that works best for them.
PI: Hamid Rahmanian
Eligibility
Aged 18+
Diagnosis of first episode psychosis
In receipt of care from any form of adult community mental health service.
In remission (not actively in distress)
Able to give informed consent
Able to understand written/spoken English
Aims
Investigate whether the Sex Offenders Treatment
Service Collaborative – Intellectual Disabilities (SOTSEC-ID) group CBT programme, combined with risk management: reduces cognitive distortions in men with IDD and HSB, prevents or reduces their further harmful sexual behaviour,
and improves their sexual knowledge, empathy, locus
of control, and self-esteem, in comparison to men in the
control group receiving Treatment As Usual (TAU).
PI: Dr Sophie Andrews
Eligibility
Aged 18+
IDD, including an IQ below 80 and adaptive behaviour deficits (as assessed since the age of 18), shown harmful sexual behaviour in the last 5 years, irrespective of any conviction during the study period (i.e. at baseline, month 3 and month 6).
Aims
This project will collect data to investigate how biological and environmental factors influence SMI presentation, symptom profiles, prognosis
and response to treatment.
PI: Dr Hamid Rahmanian
Eligibility
Aged 18+
Diagnosis of psychosis/schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Aims
A study investigating how effective a stimulant versus nonstimulant medication is, in patients with ADHD, who also have bipolar/psychosis.
PI: Dr Olimpia Belea
Eligibility
Diagnosis of ADHD
Psychosis (schizophrenia spectrum disorders) OR Bipolar disorder
Stable and on mood stabilisers or antipsychotics
Not currently on medication for ADHD
Aims
To develop and validate a new questionnaire of appraisals of Visual Hallucinations (VH).
PI: Dr Saskia Bridge
Eligibility
Willing and able to give informed consent.
Any gender, aged 16 years or above.
Diagnosed with non-affective psychosis
Currently experiencing VH (within the last month)
Currently attending NHS adult secondary or tertiary mental health services.