Edge Hill University awarded £2.5m to help tackle mental health conditions

Edge Hill University has been awarded £2.5million to expand its expert research into the mental health of children and young people.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced the huge grant today, World Mental Health Day, as part of its Mental Health Research Leaders Award. Edge Hill University will establish a new research project, designed to engage with local health, public health and social care systems with a focus on St Helens, Knowsley and Wigan, and the wider North West, where there are large numbers of people living with mental health conditions, limited local mental health research and low participation in mental health research studies.

By working closely with local communities more people will have the opportunity to take part in mental health research, improving diversity in research studies, which in turn will lead to better treatment and support for the children and young people who need them most.

Project lead and Professor of Primary Care Greg Irving said:

“Children and young people in the North West face considerable mental health challenges.

“Anxiety and depression rates exceed national averages, hospital admissions for mental health conditions among under-18s and self-harm rates in the North West are among the highest in the country, primary and secondary care services are overwhelmed and efforts to improve community mental health services for this group are hindered by financial constraints and service cuts.

“Everyone should be able to access the mental health support they need regardless of where they live. This new mental health research will ultimately help to reduce health inequalities because we’ll have a better understanding of the causes of poor mental health and be able to tackle the issue in the places where people are most affected.”

The project, supported by University of Liverpool, University of Manchester and the NIHR North West Coast Applied Research Collaboration, will establish a Centre of Excellence for mental health asset-based community interventions, serving as a hub for pioneering interventions and providing essential support to tackle complex mental health challenges in the North West and beyond.

Edge Hill University is one of just two institutions awarded funding under NIHR’s Mental Health Leadership Award as part of a £27m investment in mental health research. The Institute’s broader ambition is to establish up to 10 new mental health research groups to boost research in areas of the country where there is currently very little.

“Mental health issues can affect any of us. We know that more researchers and research participants will lead to better treatments and support for people and communities affected by mental health issues.

“These Mental Health Research Groups will target the mental health research to the areas that need it most, meaning we can quickly start to make a real difference in key areas such as young people’s mental health and addiction.”

The £2.5m award will significantly strengthen Edge Hill University’s international standing in mental health research, adding to existing sector-leading expertise:

· The Edge Hill-led Arts4Us project – in collaboration with more than 50 partners from academic institutions, NHS trusts, schools and community organisations – was recently awarded £2.5m by UKRI to create a digital platform bringing together the best practice in the arts and arts therapies for young people and their families in need of mental health support;

· The award-winning Tackling the Blues programme – in partnership with Everton in the Community – has been a trailblazing project in the support of children’s mental health through arts and sports for more than 10 years.

Edge Hill Professors Vicky Karkou, Andy Smith and Professor Michelle Howarth, and Dr Shaun Liverpool, were instrumental in securing the NIHR funding with Professor Irving.

Their combined areas of expertise include child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing, physical activity and green social prescribing in children and young people.

Stuart Dunne, CEO of Youth Focus North West is a key external partner, bringing community perspective to the team.