Showcase your quality improvement, mental health pilot or data project, gain expert feedback, and explore funding

Are you working on a mental health pilot study, small-scale research project, quality improvement project, or using an existing dataset to explore an important mental health question?

The Sussex Mental Health Research (SuMHeR) Centre and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) Mental Health Innovation and Implementation Theme are inviting expressions of interest to present at a regional conference showcasing mental health research and innovation from across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

We are looking for oral and poster presentations from researchers, practitioners and early career researchers whose work has the potential to improve mental health knowledge, services or outcomes.

Why are we holding this event?

Across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, there is a wealth of mental health research, quality improvement work and innovative use of data taking place in universities, NHS organisations and other settings. This conference aims to help us better understand the breadth of mental health-related work taking place across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, identify researchers and projects with the potential to influence mental health knowledge or services over the next five years, and inform how ARC KSS Mental Health research clinic funding is allocated.

Purpose and opportunities arising from the conference

The purpose of this conference is to enable us to understand the breadth of mental health related work across the region; to identify researchers and studies with potential to impact on mental health service knowledge or services over the next 5 years; and to consider how we allocate ARC KSS Mental Health research clinic funding. We are asking for expressions of interest to present a brief (maximum 15 minutes) oral or poster presentation for the conference. We will draw on these presentations when deciding how to allocate funding.

There are several potential benefits of submitting an EOI and presenting:

An opportunity to receive feedback and support to help develop your project ahead of a separate ARC KSS Mental Health funding call expected to open in January. The call may provide funding for research assistant support, PPI consultation and participant expenses. Selection to present does not confer priority or preferential access to this funding.

A small number of selected projects may have the opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated ARC KSS Mental Health PhD student (Surrey and Sussex).

Bespoke opportunities to network and receive feedback on your work, including from PPI members, other presenters and members of the Mental Health Theme.

Bespoke opportunities to receive 1:1 advice and support for future grant submissions.

Bespoke opportunities to receive 1:1 advice regarding contacts and pathways to increase impact, knowledge mobilisation and/or implementation.

Please note that selection to present does not confer priority or preferential access to ARC KSS funding. A separate funding call is expected to open in January, and eligible projects will be able to apply through that process. The feedback and support offered through this event may help researchers develop their ideas in preparation for this or other future funding opportunities.

Eligibility:

Researchers (including Early Career Researchers and clinicians working in practice) who have conducted quality improvement projects or research with innovative, interesting and successful small-scale or pilot projects and have ideas for a subsequent study; or studies with a large dataset with potential to address an innovative/novel research question.

We will consider both completed and ongoing projects including early-stage work, provided there is a signal of effect and/or an indication of impact.

We are keen to hear from

· Project or data ideas with the potential for impact on regional and/or national mental health knowledge and/or services within the next 5 years. Please note, impact can be achieved in many ways alongside as well as resulting from the project outcomes. We can support and advise on this.

· Projects or data ideas which would fit within any of our ARC KSS Mental Health sub-themes of:

o Mental Health Transitions – projects that address mental health at any key or high risk transition (for example but not limited to School to University, education to work, peri to post-natal, mental health inpatient to community treatment.)

o Mental Health Comorbidities - projects that address mental health in the context of physical health conditions or other comorbidities such as (for example but not limited to obesity, respiratory or cardiovascular disease, diabetes, substance use)

o Mental Health in Underserved Populations -projects that address mental health in a specific underserved population

· Projects that also fit within the ‘three shifts’ identified by the department of hea

Description supplied by the event organiser.