Current research studies
Find out more about our current research studies and how you can get involved.
Dementia research studies
Our Dementia Research Unit focuses on drug development for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and memory problems, as well as trials and observational studies looking at therapeutic options.
We value the opportunity to be involved in worldwide research studies that are funded by pharmaceutical companies. These studies are usually clinical trials that have the potential to make major breakthroughs in the treatment of long-term mental illness, such as dementia.
We're currently conducting a number of industry-sponsored trials and has a growing reputation for setting up, carrying out and completing trials to the highest standard. We work with a range of leading pharmaceutical companies to develop breakthrough drugs that will ultimately improve services and care.
Alongside working with industry and academic partners, we believe that the people who use NHS services and those who work in the NHS, should have the opportunity to take part in, and benefit from, research.
If you would like to learn more about the type of research we do, and receive study updates, you might like to join our Research Network - our community of patients, staff and anyone interested in mental health research.
The National Institute of Health Research manages Join Dementia Research which is a register to help you connect with dementia research locally and nationally.
The Dementia Research Unit
The Dementia Research Unit offers patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials, as well as other therapeutic options. Most studies examine the effect and impact of new medications on the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, or look at the way in which current medications can be repurposed to help people with the disease. Most dementia clinical trials explore ways to reduce the damage that harmful proteins cause in the brain as the disease progresses with a view to slowing down and reducing the impact that dementia has on patient’s lives.
How do clinical trials work?
Patients are usually randomised into one of two groups and may receive a new treatment or a placebo. As part of the data collection process, we use questionnaires to ask patients about the impact that the disease has on everyday life, assess their memory and cognition, and also gather information from their carer.
Although lots of safety data has already been gathered about new medications before they are used with research participants, most of our clinical studies are designed to include people in the early stages of their illness with quite mild symptoms, who are generally in good physical health. This is both to ensure patient’s safety and means that data collected is as unbiased as possible. Although some study visits can be conducted at home, most of our research requires patients to come to the clinic in Crowborough or Brighton on several occasions. Travel costs are reimbursed or we can book a taxi if this is more convenient.
Dementia affects 850,000 people in the UK and it's hoped that research will help us find a cure.
What types of research takes place at the Dementia Research Unit?
Examples of the type of research that you may be able to volunteer for include:
- Medication studies
- Completing questionnaires and interviews
- Imaging studies (x-rays and scans)
- Lifestyle, diet and exercise studies
- Observation studies
- Giving your opinion about treatments received
Volunteering for a research study
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering for a study, our team will discuss this with you, your carer or relatives and anyone else you wish to involve. We will inform you of possible benefits and potential risks, so you can decide if you wish to take part. You will be told about the time commitment, which varies from study to study, as well as the possibility of receiving a placebo or being in the control group in a study. If you choose to take part, your routine clinical care will not be affected.
Why should I take part?
Some patients who volunteer say they are doing so to help improve treatments for future generations, as well as potentially experiencing the benefits of new medications themselves. In addition, all of our study participants receive close physical health monitoring throughout the trials they take part in, which usually includes regular blood tests, ECGs and sometimes tests such as MRI or PET scans. Our friendly team of research nurses and clinical research coordinators will do everything they can to make your experience, and that of the person accompanying you, as pleasant as possible. We have a lovely space at our unit, within Crowborough Hospital, and look forward to welcoming you.
Contact
If you know someone who may be interested in taking part in a clinical trial, or would like to find out more about dementia research please contact us. You will be under no obligation to take part:
Dementia Research Unit, Grove House, South View Road, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1HB
Call: 01892 603107 (please leave an answerphone message and we will call you back)
ComBining memantine And cholinesterase inhibitors in Lewy body dementia Treatment
What is the study about?
The trial will look at the use of a drug called Memantine for treatment of people with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD) symptoms. The aim of the trial is to find out if Memantine treatment can help improve overall health and functioning for people with DLB or PDD.
Who is running the study?
The trial is sponsored by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and funded by the Health Technology Assessment | NIHR
Why is the study being run?
Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are related complex illnesses with a wide range of distressing symptoms. People with DLB/PDD have worse quality of life, more complex symptoms, higher care costs, and are more sensitive to medications than people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors (AChEI) are commonly used medicines that can help people with DLB/PDD by improving day to day functioning and thinking abilities. Another drug which might help is Memantine, used to treat moderate to severe confusion in AD. It may help to improve memory, awareness and the ability to perform daily functions; however, it is not clear if adding Memantine to AChEI is beneficial for people with DLB/PDD.
The aim of this trial is to find out if adding Memantine to AChEI improves overall health and functioning for people with DLB or PDD.
What will taking part involve?
If you agree to take part you will join one of two trial treatment groups for 12 months:
- a placebo (‘dummy’ drug) group OR
- a medication (Memantine) group
You will have planned visits and phone calls with the local trial team, who will ask you about your symptoms, how you feel and your study treatment.
A family member or person who knows you well will also be asked to answer questions about your symptoms and about how they are feeling.
Who can take part?
Potential participants should be currently taking cholinesterase inhibitors
Contact details
- For more information please email dementiaresearchunit
@spft.nhs.uk or call 01892 603107 (please leave a message). - Further information can be found on the study website: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/cobalttrial/
What is the study about?
Co-Cog is an app-based health and wellbeing questionnaire which has been co-designed and co-produced through a series of workshops with people living with dementia and MCI, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The Co-Cog study will involve a sample of persons with dementia or a mild cognitive impairment and their caregivers.
Who is running the study?
This study is sponsored by the University of Sussex and delivered by the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Co-Cog is funded and developed by researchers at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey, Sussex (ARC KSS) with Health Innovation KSS. Learn more here
What is the possible impact?
There might be no personal benefit for you as a participant. Although if this app is successful, it has great potential to improve care for people with dementia or cognitive impairments.
Why should you take part?
Memory clinics, appointments are often relatively short, with health and well-being questions taking up most of the time to complete. As an increasing number of older people are using smartphones and digital technology, patients could answer these questions at home before attending clinics for diagnosis and follow ups. Clinicians would be able to review electronic data quickly prior to or during consultations. Such data can, in the future, be seamlessly integrated into patient hospital electronic records without the need for collection and upload of paper questionnaires.
We aim to improve the services offered by asking these questions in advance so that when participants arrive at their appointments, the patient and the doctor have more time to discuss more important issues. By taking part you will be helping us to assess the viability of the app before we recruit for a large-scale study.
What will taking part involve?
For persons with dementia or mild cognitive impairment -
- At the initial assessment, you will be asked to sign a consent form. If you have not completed a memory assessment within the last 12 weeks, we will complete a short assessment with you which should take about 15 minutes. If you have already completed an assessment within the last 12 weeks, we will use those scores. If you are eligible for the study, you will be shown how to install the app and supported to complete the fist entry.
- Participants will be asked to complete questions about their health, subjective well-being and quality of life. There will also be the opportunity to participant to complete some memory exercises. You will then be asked to complete entries until you have completed four entries.
- After you have completed your entries, you will be asked to provide feedback for the app which should take about 30 minutes to complete. This can either be posted out to you, completed electronically or with one of our research assistants. You will be asked your preference once you complete the study.
For Study Partners -
- Study partners will attend the initial face to face meeting where they will give consent and assess whether their person with dementia is able to participate in the study. If you are both eligible, we will show you how to download the app and help you complete the first entry.
- You and your study partner will enter information into the app until you have submitted information four times. The questions are based on the participants general health, their subjective wellbeing and quality of life. There will also be some questions about your wellbeing. For each of you, questions should take about 15 minutes.
- After you have completed your entries, you will be asked to provide feedback for the app which should take about 30 minutes to complete. This can either be posted out to you, completed electronically or with one of our research assistants. You will be asked your preference once you complete the study.
Who can take part?
• Participants Aged 50 - 90
• Who have a diagnosis of MCI or Dementia
• Has access to a Smartphone capable of running the app.
• Has a study partner
• Addenbrooke's Cognitive Assessment (ACE III) Score of ≥40
How can I take part?
You can participate by contacting the Dementia Research Unit or by contacting the research team directly on the contact details below.
Team email: spft.
Research Assistant: Stuart.
Our research assistant's journey to dementia research
Stuart Warren, Research Assistant, shares his very personal story which led him to dementia research and on a mission to make things better for people with dementia and their carers. You can read his blog here
COGNIKET-MCI is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, multi-country, pivotal trial to study the effects of a nutritional intervention of ketogenic medium-chain triglycerides (kMCT) and B-vitamins on cognitive functioning in older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.
What is the study about?
Société des Produits Nestlé has developed a nutritional formulation, called BrainXpert intended for dietary management of people with mild cognitive impairment. The purpose of the COGNIKET-MCI studies is to learn about the efficacy of BrainXpert and understand its long-term tolerability, when compared with placebo, when taken twice daily over 12 months in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Who is running the study?
The study sponsor is Société des Produits Nestlé and it is being run by Professor Tabet and the team at the Dementia Research Unit.
Why should you take part?
• Participants will be helping others by contributing to medical research.
• Participants' condition will be checked as long as their participation in the trial lasts.
• The nutritional product may help to improve their condition.
What will taking part involve?
The study will be explained fully to you and your partner, it includes:
• 2 intervention periods: a blinded intervention period (the first 52 weeks) and an open-label intervention period (the final 26 weeks).
• Taking BrainXpert/Placebo twice daily over 18 months
This trial has a screening visit and 4 study visits at the centre, which involves
• Physical examination
• Memory tests and questionnaires on how well you manage daily routines
• Blood samples
Who can take part?
You may be able to take part if you:
• are at least 60 years of age
• Have a diagnosis of Mild cognitive impairment
• Have a study partner who is willing and able to attend trial visits
How can I take part?
If you would like to hear more about the study please leave a message on our voicemail with your name and telephone number giving the reference ‘COGNIKET-MCI study’. We will give you a call back and tell you more about the study and can arrange to send you some written information. Alternatively, you can email or write to us using the details below:
Contact details:
Atsuko Fujisawa or Alice Russell
Clinical Research Coordinators
Dementia Research Unit,
Grove House,
Crowborough TN6 1HB
Office Tel: 01892 603107 (Please leave a message)
Email: spft.
What is the study about?
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of pre-existing Type 2 Diabetes and dementia on the way people present to the memory clinic, their diagnosis, outlook, mental health, and carer support.
This is a feasibility study. In this study, we aim to determine the feasibility of assessing and following up two groups of patients with dementia for one year.
One group will have both dementia and Type 2 Diabetes, and the other group will have dementia without Type 2 Diabetes. This will help us understand the impact of Type 2 Diabetes on dementia, in comparison to those without Type 2 Diabetes.
Who is running the study?
This study is sponsored by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The researcher is Dr Ain Nizam who is a part-time Psychiatry doctor, and part-time PhD student at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. This research study is part of her PhD studies, and she is supervised by a supervisory team led by Professor Naji Tabet, Professor of Dementia at the Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
Why is the study being run?
This study will help us understand the impact of Type 2 Diabetes on dementia, in comparison to those without Type 2 Diabetes.
Why should you take part?
Your participation will contribute to the future benefit of individuals with dementia and their caregivers, as the results of this study will be used to assess the feasibility of conducting larger studies in this topic.
What will taking part involve?
We will invite you and your carer to an interview at the start of the study and another interview the end of the study. During the interviews, you and your carer will be asked to complete some questionnaires.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes, you will be asked to keep a record of any significant diabetes-related incidents requiring medical attention (e.g. low blood sugar levels), hospital admissions related to diabetes, and changes in diabetes medications during the 1-year study period. You and your study partner will be given a sheet to record these events.
There is a further interview where up to 12 participants with both dementia and Type 2 diabetes, alongside their carer, will be invited to talk about their hopes, concerns, expectations for the future, and their views about the care they have been receiving.
Who can take part?
If you can say yes to all these statements, you are welcome to take part:
- You have attended one of the memory clinics at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust;
- You have a diagnosis of dementia and possibly a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes; and
- You have a carer who is willing to take part as a study partner throughout the study and attend interviews together with you. Please refer to the separate Carer (Study Partner) Participant Information Sheet which will be provided.
How can I take part?
If you have any questions about this study, wish to discuss taking part or have any concerns, you can contact the researcher organising the study.
Contact details:
Dr Ain Nizam
T: 01892 603107
E: spft.
Dementia Research Unit,
Grove House,
Southview Road, Crowborough,
East Sussex TN6 1HB
What is the study about?
This study will adapt the Coping Strategy Enhancement (CSE) intervention, which is a non-pharmacological intervention, used to reduce the distress that is associated with hallucinations. This intervention will be adapted for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their family carers.
Who is running the study?
This first and last phase (Co-adapt and co-evaluate) will be conducted in Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT). Whereas the trial will be conducted across two sites: SPFT and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW). The study will be conducted in a blend of face- to- face meetings or virtually. Amaani Al-Azzawi is working on this study as part of her PhD research.
What is the possible impact?
There are currently no non-pharmacological interventions that exist to support PLWD and their family carers to manage hallucinatory experiences, despite this being a common experience. The Coping Strategy Enhancement (CSE) intervention has been utilized with a range of patient groups across the lifespan and diagnoses and been found to be beneficial.
What will taking part involve?
Take part in 2-3 focus group meetings to co-adapt the CSE, and or participants will receive 4, 1 hour sessions of therapy with a clinical psychologist. The lead researcher will conduct a final assessment meeting and deliver exit interviews.
Who can take part?
- Focus group participants (Phases 1+4): Co-adapt and co-evaluate: PLWD, family carers of PLWD and clinicians that work with PLWD.
- Trial Participants (Phases 2+3): To receive the adapted intervention: PLWD and their family carers.
Contact details and further info
Dementia Research Unit, Grove House, Crowborough TN6 1HB
Tel: 01892 603107 (please leave a message)
Email: spft.
Amaani Al-Azzawi (Doctoral Researcher at Brighton and Sussex Medical School) presented a poster at the Alzheimer Europe Conference in Geneva, Switzerland in October 2024. This conference theme was “New Horizons-Innovating for Dementia”. The poster is based on the protocol of her empirical PhD research study: The OASIS study- A co-adaptation and co-evaluation of the Coping Strategy Enhancement intervention, in the context of hallucinations in dementia.
The poster was submitted within the sub-theme of ‘inclusion and intersectionality in dementia research’. This poster highlights the involvement of people with lived experience (PLWD, carers and clinicians) in the research study, from an initial scoping review and co-adaptation of the bespoke intervention materials to continual consultation with a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP). Amaani welcomed the chance to share the work that Sussex Partnership and the Sussex Voices Clinic are supporting, with international peers. See the poster here.
What is the study about?
Up until now this type of MRI scanning and analysis has been limited to research projects. This study aims to find out whether these new ways of looking at MRI brain scans are useful to help with diagnosis and prognosis of memory and thinking problems. We will therefore be working with research groups and with commercial companies to design tests on MRI scans that can be used in the memory clinic.
Read this BBC news report to find out more about the study.
Who is running the study?
Cambridge University Hospital and the University of Cambridge
Why is the study being run?
New types of brain scan analysis using computer algorithms may be better than standard MRI reporting to measure changes to the brain in disease.
Why should you take part?
If there is no reason that you cannot have an MRI scan, you will be invited for a scan. If the study is successful in its stated aims, then it will help us to use these advanced MRI technologies to improve the diagnosis of brain disorders.
What will taking part involve? This would be very similar to an MRI scan you would have on the NHS. Usually an NHS MRI scan lasts 10-15 minutes, the study the scan is slightly longer, lasting around 30 minutes.
Who can take part?
All patients in whom the treating clinician considers neuroimaging to be part of the usual diagnostic pathway will be included in the study.
How can I take part?
Speak with your clinician about the study during your initial memory assessment appointment.
Contact details
Tel: 01892 603107
What is the study about?
The Time for Dementia Project is an educational programme looking to improve the understanding, attitude and knowledge of health care professionals about dementia. See our film about Time for Dementia.
Who is running the study?
Time for Dementia is led by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School as part of multi stakeholder collaboration between teaching colleagues, undergraduate healthcare students, families living with dementia, researchers, Alzheimer’s Society and other universities.
Since its inception in 2015, the programme has been delivered at seven universities and across nine different professional courses.
Why is the study being run?
The project aims to improve healthcare student knowledge, attitudes and empathy towards people with dementia and their caregivers. Additionally, the project aims to provide students with a more balanced view of what it is like to live with dementia both from the perspective of the person with dementia and the caregiver, as well as increased insight into living with other physical health problems. They will take this knowledge with them in their healthcare careers. Students taking part in the programme include: medical, nursing, paramedic, radiography, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students.
Why should you take part?
The benefits to students and families are being comprehensively evaluated. Responses from both students and families have been positive. Families felt motivated to take part in the programme to raise awareness and increase knowledge about what it's really like to live with and care for someone with dementia. Many families felt taking part was of value to them to see the impact their involvement has on student learning. They describe the visits as fun, friendly, sociable and enjoyable.
A key long-term goal is to influence national dementia education policy and to promote the Time for Dementia programme as a new way of building understanding in dementia and other health conditions for healthcare professionals in their undergraduate training.
A comprehensive dissemination manual will be developed to advise other higher education institutions on how to deliver a similar programme to ensure optimum cost-effectiveness. The model can also be rolled out to other conditions, for example Time for Autism is currently in development and will be implemented at BSMS.
What will taking part involve?
The project involves having a pair of trainee healthcare professionals visit a family who has experience of dementia. The students visit for a two-year period through their training three times a year for 1-2 hours at a time. The students speak to both a person with a diagnosis of dementia and also a family carer. Each visit is a relaxed conversation within the person’s home where the students hear about what it is like to live with a diagnosis of dementia and what it is like to support a loved one with dementia. If you and your carer are happy to take part in the Time for Dementia programme, you may be invited to take part in the research study.
Who can take part?
People with dementia and their carers
How can I take part?
Please contact the Time for Dementia team - details below.
Contact details
If you are a family living with dementia and are interested in taking part in the programme, please contact the Time for Dementia Team:
Call: 07484 089562
Email: timefordementia
Follow us on twitter: @Time4Dementia
Find out more
The TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5 study will test if an investigational medicine is safe and effective in people with symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease. The study will take up to 1 year 10 months. Study participants will get study medicine by infusion. For every two study participants, one will get investigational medicine and one will get placebo.
Who is running the study?
The study sponsor is Eli Lilly and Company Limited
What is the possible impact?
Researchers think the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease could be caused by a build-up of amyloid proteins in the brain. These amyloid proteins can stick together and form tiny clumps known as amyloid plaques. Amyloid plaques may lead to problems with memory and thinking. The investigational medicine being tested in the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 5 study may remove amyloid plaques and could slow memory loss.
Why should you take part?
Taking part in this study means you are actively involved in medical research. All study participants will help improve our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and may help make new medicines a reality.
If you decide to take part, you will get at no cost to you:
- All study-related medicines, care, and check-ins.
- Access to specialized doctors and research teams.
What will taking part involve?
Study participants will have about 22 planned visits.
Study participants will get study medicine by infusion. You will also need to complete questionnaires, additional electrocardiograms (ECGs), MRI scans, PET scans, (which you would not have to otherwise). MRI/PET scans may take place at a different location to where the study visits normally take place, your study doctor will let you know.
Who can take part?
You may be able to join this study if you:
- Are aged 60 to 85 years old.
- Have memory loss that has gotten worse over time.
- Have a trusted study partner.
A study partner is a person who knows you well and would notice any changes in your memory, mood, and behaviour. This could be your spouse, partner, friend, family member, or someone whose job it is to help you. Your study partner would also consent to the research study.
How can I take part?
Please contact the Dementia Research Unit:
E: spft.
T: 01892 603107 (please do leave a message with contact details if no reply and we will get back to you).
Mental health research studies
Developing a complex intervention to improve the process of disclosing adverse childhood experiences (ACE) for service users and staff. An experience-based co-design study.
What is the study about?
The aim of this project is to find new ways of working to support front-line mental health practitioners to discuss adverse childhood experiences with service users in a way that promotes healing and prevents further harm.
Who is running the study?
Funded by the Wellcome Trust and sponsored by King's College London & Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), the study is run by Jessica Sears as part of her PhD programme in Mental Health Research for Health Professionals.
What is the possible impact?
- For service users: Improved experience of disclosing ACEs; access to trauma treatment options; improved therapeutic relationship; improved mental health outcomes.
- For staff: Improved confidence and competence to sensitively explore ACEs; improved compassion; greater job satisfaction.
What are the benefits of taking part?
Teams that decide to be involved will have a unique opportunity to reflect on their experiences of working with trauma survivors in community mental health settings. Members of the team and service users will also have the opportunity to be collaborators in the co-design process to develop a novel intervention.
What will taking part involve?
If you would like to take part you will be invited to:
- An individual interview to explore your experiences of care under a CMHT
- A series of workshops to design service improvements
You can decide to take part in the interview and not attend the workshops.
Who can take part?
- We are looking for adults aged 18 and over, who identify as having experienced ‘adverse childhood experiences’ and have sought help for their mental health from SPFT community mental health services.
- We are also inviting mental health practitioners (particularly staff from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic groups) from SPFT community mental health teams who have experience working with service users with a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
How can I take part?
If you would like to know more about the project you can email Jessica Sears: Jessica.
In the UK about 140,000 15–19-year-olds experience depression. An estimated 35,000 young people access NHS treatment for depression, of which:
• about 14,000 do not respond.
• a further 8,000 are likely to experience depression again after initial successful treatment.
Teenagers who still have symptoms after treatment for low mood, depression or anxiety, or who relapse quickly, need more treatment options.
What is the study about?
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed Mindfulness for Adolescents and Carers (MAC) as a version of MBCT adapted to be more engaging for teenagers. MAC aims to help teenagers recover from depression and the parallel parent/carer group aims to support parents and carers to cope better.
We want to find out, Is Mindfulness for Adolescents and Carers (MAC) plus treatment as usual (TAU) more effective and cost-effective compared to TAU alone; how does it work and for whom does it work best?
Who is running the study?
ATTEND is a Randomised Controlled Trial sponsored by Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and University of Cambridge. The Principal Investigator is Professor Tamsin Ford, with Prof Clara Strauss leading for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The study is sponsored by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
Timeline
ATTEND will be recruiting participants from June 2024 to January 2026.
What is the possible impact?
New treatment that could be implemented in NHS teams and schools across UK to support young people with depression/low mood. Potentially this treatment could be offered nationwide as a second-line intervention to teenagers who continue to struggle with symptoms of depression after receiving therapy. We hope this will not only help the young people offered this treatment but also reduce waitlists in CAMHS to improve access to mental health support.
Why should you take part?
You will be helping support in the development of a new treatment for depression and all participants will be randomised into either our treatment arm (offered an 8-week MAC group) or our control group (continue with current treatment). Both groups will be offered £60 incentive for involvement of the study (spread across one year).
What will taking part involve?
After being randomised to either 8-week MAC therapy group or control group, we ask participants to complete a short questionnaire every two weeks to track mood over one year so that we can compare how effective MAC is compared to current treatments offered in schools and the NHS.
Who can take part?
Young people between ages 15-18, struggling with low mood/depression, who have previously completed an evidence-based treatment for depression or anxiety.
How can I take part?
Contact us with your interest or fill in your details on the study website
Take a look at the study website here: www.
See a poster for the study here
See the participant information sheet here
Contact details
T: 07886 589752
E: attend
For Sussex site specific queries, please contact:
What is the study about?
CATALYST aims to co-design and test an asset-based task-sharing model for youth mental health services in deprived communities.
Who is running the study?
The research is being run by a team of researchers from the University of Sussex and has been funded from a grant from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The study is sponsored by the University of Sussex.
We are interested in understanding how to best help young people who have mental health and social problems, but are not currently receiving mental health care. We aim to achieve this goal by co-designing service adaptations that make best use of ‘assets’ (people and resources) that already exist within these deprived communities.
Why should you take part?
By taking part in this study, you will help us to develop low-cost scalable potential solutions improve outcomes for young people experiencing mental health difficulties in deprived communities.
Some people in similar studies have said they have found it helpful to reflect and share their experiences.
What will taking part involve?
You will be invited to take part in an interview lasting up to one hour. You can also take part in the workshop lasting two hours.
You will be reimbursed for taking part.
Who can take part?
- Aged 18 years or over.
- Holds or has recently held professional role in health or social care
- Has experience of working with youth mental health in Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
How can I take part?
Email: catalyst
What is the study about?
- The COMP006 study is looking into a new treatment approach for people with TRD using an investigational medicine given with psychological support.
- Introducing the COMP006 clinical study (COMPASS)
- Many people who receive anti-depressant treatment for their depression do not get an adequate response to the medicines they are taking. If someone is taking two or more anti-depressants and they are failing, this is sometimes referred to as treatment-resistant depression or TRD.
- The study is suitable for people who have been diagnosed with major depression and are currently experiencing a recurrent or single episode of depression but that have not responded to anti-depressant treatment.
Who is running the study?
- The COMP006 study sponsor is Compass Pathways
- The study is being conducted at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King’s College London and the Principle Investigator is Dr James Rucker (https://
www. )kcl.ac.uk/ research/ psychoactive-trials-group - Prof James Stone is the lead for the study site in Sussex.
What is the possible impact?
We hope that this could offer another treatment choice for treatment-resistant depression.
What will taking part involve?
COMP006 is a three-part study which will last up to 62 weeks:
- Part A: The primary aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness and safety of different doses of the investigational medication for reducing symptom severity in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), when administered with psychological support. This will be assessed in a nine-week, “blinded” part of the study, during which neither participants or study doctors will know which dose each person has received.
- Part B: The length of time that the investigational medication may affect the symptoms and long-term safety of the study drug, and the effectiveness and safety of re-treatment will be assessed in a 17-week single-dose, double-blind re-treatment part.
- Part C: A 26-week open-label treatment, where everyone will know what dose of the investigational medication will be offered to participants who are eligible based on their outcome in Parts A and B.
As treatment-resistant depression is a chronic condition, in which relapse is common, the incorporation of these additional parts in a single study allows for important long-term monitoring and participant support.
Everyone in the COMP006 Study will have to stop taking any medications that are prohibited by the study rules, including anti-depressants. Participants will receive support from study clinicians to help them withdraw from any prohibited medications, including current anti-depressants. Participants will be asked to remain off prohibited medications for parts of the study under close medical supervision.
Participants are asked to remain off anti-depressant treatments during Part A. If they return to anti-depressant treatments during the study, there may be limitations on if they can be retreated with the study drug later in the study. All participants who return to anti-depressant treatments will receive follow-up care until the end of the study.
What are the benefits of taking part?
- Reimbursement for reasonable, out-of-pocket expenses for travel and other expenses may be available to qualified individuals.
- You will be contributing to the body of knowledge to support people with treatment-resistant depression.
Who can take part?
- The study is suitable for people who have been diagnosed with major depression and are currently experiencing a recurrent or single episode of depression but that have not responded to anti-depressant treatment.
You may be eligible to participate in the COMP006 study if you:
- Are 18 years of age or older
- Have ever been diagnosed with depression
- Are experiencing treatment-resistant depression, defined as trying two or more anti-depressant medications for your depression but still experiencing symptoms of depression
- Meet additional study criteria
How can I take part?
- If you are interested in learning more about the COMP006 study, please contact us for an informal chat.
- We will ask you some brief questions and provide additional information about the study.
- Expressing an interest does not oblige you in any way to take part in the study. So please, do get in touch if you want to find out more.
Find out more
If you are interested in learning more about the COMP006 study, please contact us for an informal chat:
Clinicaltrials.gov listing: https://
You can read more about the study on the King's College London website
What is the study about?
The CONNECT study aims to address the question: Can wearables and smartphones help service users manage their mental health?
To answer this question, The University of Manchester has developed a remote digital data collection system via a smartphone app which they are testing to see if it can predict an individual’s chance of psychosis relapse.
Who is running the study?
The £12.5m study is being led by the University of Manchester, funded by The Wellcome Trust and in collaboration with lived experience advisors from the McPin Foundation to ensure people with lived experience of psychosis are involved throughout the study.
The CONNECT smartphone app will be tested across six higher education institutions and their partnering NHS trusts across the country, including the University of Sussex partnered with the Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust.
Why is the study being run?
People who experience psychosis can encounter changes in their activity levels, sleep pattern and getting out and about just before they become unwell or experience a relapse. For example, someone who is feeling very anxious or low might not feel like socialising much. They might stay at home more than usual, phone their friends less, sleep less and experience other changes.
In CONNECT, we are asking people with a diagnosis of psychosis to use the CONNECT app in conjunction with a wearable device (smartwatch or Fitbit) to see how changes in behaviours and patterns might relate to their mental health getting worse. In the future, by using this system it may be possible to tell in advance when someone’s mental health might be getting better or worse by looking at these changes and offering extra support at the time it is needed.
Why should you take part?
The insight gained could be transformative to how we manage psychosis and enable timely intervention to prevent relapses in mental health. By participating in CONNECT, you will be contributing to the development of new knowledge which could help people who experience psychosis in the future.
If you do not have your own smartphone and/or wearable device, we are able to provide these for you, and at the end of taking part in the 12-month study, you will be able to keep the smartphone and wearable device (if you asked for one to use during the study). We will also pay for your data network costs for the time you are using the CONNECT app (£10/month), and reimbursement for your time spent attending 3-monthly research assessments over the 12 months will be £20 per assessment. You will also be reimbursed for any reasonable travel to and from research appointments.
What will taking part involve?
Participants in the study will be asked to use a smartphone and a wearable device (Fitbit or smartwatch) and download the CONNECT app. Over a 12-month period, we will ask participants to answer a short set of questions via the CONNECT app a few times a week which asks about their thoughts, feelings and mood.
We will also collect information automatically (without participants needing to do anything) using sensors which are built into all modern smartphones and the wearable device. This information will be about things like a person’s general movements, sleep and activity levels. Using this information, we will be able to work out if changes in sleep or activity levels, for example, might be a sign of someone becoming unwell.
Finally, we will ask participants to meet with a researcher (by phone, online, or in person) every three months over the 12 months to attend an interview to discuss progress.
Who can take part?
People over 16 years old with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder who have experienced at least one acute episode of psychosis in the last two years and are under the care of NHS mental health services.
More information
See a short film about the study here
You can find out more about the study on the CONNECT Digital Study website
Contact
Please ask your care co-ordinator to get in touch if you are interested in participating in the study.
Email: spft.
What is the study about?
The aim of this project is to enquire with clinicians about how Depict VR, a virtual-reality application that we have designed, could encourage young people to share their experience of mental health, including hearing voices, with a trusted confidante. Depict VR has some features, such as interactive spoken phrases or comments, to encourage young people to share their experience of personal distress and to share this information with a trusted confidante. Thus, the project aims to understand how these tools in Depict VR could help young people to engage meaningfully with distress by sharing their experiences with their trusted confidante, and so try to alleviate their distress. The project also aims to understand how helpful Depict VR could be in delivering a useful therapeutic outcome for young people who hear voices.
Who is running the study?
Dr Dominic Rees-Roberts and Dr Preethi Premkumar are leading the project. Dominic is a scientist and a film director. And Preethi is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at London South Bank University. Virtus Studio is the digital technology company that has designed Depict VR. Professor Mark Hayward, Director of Research and Development at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), is helping to deliver the project in the Trust. Jenni Nicholls is the Research Assistant at SPFT who will meet, role play with and interview the clinicians who choose to take part. The project is funded by the British Academy.
What is the possible impact?
The project has the potential to achieve several important outcomes:
- Improved Communication for Young Voice-Hearers
By fostering open discussions between young people and their trusted confidantes, Depict VR could help young individuals articulate their distress and experiences more effectively.
- Innovative Therapeutic Tool
Depict VR aims to complement existing therapies by offering a novel, immersive approach to mental health care. This could be especially valuable in early intervention for young people who hear voices.
- Empowerment and Emotional Support
The application could empower young people to better understand and cope with their distress, potentially leading to reduced feelings of isolation and improved emotional well-being.
- Enhancement of Clinician-Patient Relationships
By facilitating meaningful conversations, Depict VR may improve the therapeutic relationships between young people and mental health professionals.
- Community and Systemic Benefits
If successful, the tool could benefit the wider community of young voice-hearers by increasing accessibility to support and offering a scalable solution for mental health interventions.
Overall, Depict VR could have a transformative impact on how mental health support is delivered, paving the way for more engaging and empathetic therapeutic techniques.
Why should you take part/what are the benefits of taking part?
Engaging with Depict VR could be fun. Besides, your contribution to developing Depict VR could benefit the wider community of young people who hear voices. Your contribution will be vital to helping develop a new therapy aimed at complimenting existing approaches and helping reach more patients, sooner, in the treatment process.
What will taking part involve?
You (clinician) will be asked to sign the consent form that follows this information sheet if you choose to take part. You will then be invited to an in-person session with the researcher at a Clinical Unit of your choosing or the Research and Development Department at the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The session will last for about an hour. At the meeting, you will be asked to wear a virtual-reality device and test Depict VR. The device has hand-held movement aids that allow you to touch and move objects in the virtual space. It also has in-built audio to listen to sounds. Once you enter Depict VR, you can navigate through Depict VR and interact with the virtual room. The main task in Depict VR is to listen to a set of personal comments that appear in the virtual room. The comments may be positive, neutral or negative.
A negative comment could be ‘You spend too much time running around and not accomplishing anything; you should use your time more wisely’. A positive comment could be ‘You have a lot of energy. You wake up early and keep busy till late. Your energy and enthusiasm are amazing’. A neutral comment could be ‘Most places will have a dry evening with some late sunshine, although one or two showers will continue in coastal areas’.
You will be asked to position yourself as a young person who hears voices, listen to these comments, and share your thoughts and feelings about the level of interest in each comment and discuss about any distress that the young person might feel. You will also be asked to rate your mood regularly whilst you are doing this task.
Then, you will test the two-person interactive element of Depict VR. The researcher will role-play the trusted confidante of the young voice-hearer and you will discuss how the comments could help young voice-hearers to share their experiences with a trusted confidante. You will be asked to consider therapeutic strategies that could improve the relationships of young people and their trusted confidante.
Lastly, you will be asked to reflect on the design of Depict VR, such as how easy it was to navigate around the environment and how comfortable it was.
The session will be audio-recorded so that we could study your responses alongside the responses of other participants afterwards and understand how you engaged with Depict VR.
Who can take part?
Anyone who works clinically with young people within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
How can I take part?
You will be asked to sign the consent form that follows that follows on from an information sheet that will be sent to you via email. If you choose to take part you will then be invited to an in-person session with the researcher at a Clinical Unit of your choosing or the Research and Development Department at the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The session will last for about an hour.
Contact details:
Jenni Nicholls – Researcher at SPFT
What is the study about?
The study will develop a performance-based screening tool that measures personal qualities (e.g. empathy, warmth etc.) of psychological practitioners.
Sixty practitioners and undergraduate psychology students will be invited to take part in a role-play scenario with an actor building on vignettes of psychosis clients. Participants will be provided with specific instructions to enable them to role-play either low, medium or high skills in a particular therapeutic domain. The role-plays are not designed to evaluate the actual skills of the participants but rather to provide a full range of role-played skills in preparation for the next phase. The responses in this role-play will be video-recorded and will be used in the next phase of the study. We hope to find out whether this screening tool (and associated role-play scenarios) can be used to identify skills in psychological practitioners and whether the identified qualities promote trust in clinicians.
This would ensure that people working as psychological practitioners have the necessary personal qualities and it can help identify training needs.
Who is running the study?
This study is being conducted by Miriam Hiersch (PhD student, principal investigator) and Prof Kathryn Greenwood from the School of Psychology, University of Sussex. The study sponsor is the University of Sussex, and it’s funded through the South east Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS). The study has received approval from the Sciences & Technology Cross-Schools Research Ethics Committee (SCITEC) at the University of Sussex and the Health Research Authority (IRAS number: 341260). This phase of the study (phase 1) will only run in Sussex Partnership Trust, as participants need to be able to travel to Brighton and Hove to participate.
What is the possible impact?
The study is being done because the existing measures for assessing personal qualities of therapists (e.g. empathy, warmth etc,) are not specific to psychological practitioners or to working with psychosis clients. Psychological practitioners (such as assistant psychologists, mental health and wellbeing practitioners etc.) can deliver short interventions to people with psychosis. It is important that these practitioners have the necessary personal qualities to promote trust in patients and colleagues, to facilitate a good therapeutic relationship and to provide effective treatment. Therefore, the screening tool that will be developed through this study will help identify these personal qualities and could then be used during the hiring or training process.
What will taking part involve?
Taking part would involve you agreeing to meet the researcher to take part in a role-play scenario. An actor will portray a psychosis client. You will be given some information about this “client” and be given ten minutes to read through all the instructions before each scenario. This will allow you to role-play a therapist with low, medium or high skills. You will then be asked to talk to the “client” for around five minutes. You will be taking the role of a psychological practitioner who is seeing this “client” for the first time. You want to find out what the client’s main issues are and set some goals for the treatment. You will be provided with a description of the client and some prompts for what you should talk about and how you should act. You will meet with three separate “clients” for around five minutes each. The procedure is similar, but the client presentation will be slightly different every time. These interactions will be video-recorded, so that these videos can be used in the second phase of
What are the benefits of taking part?
- You may contribute some valuable input into personal qualities needed to deliver psychological treatment
- You might learn more about your own personal qualities
- You can also enter a £25 prize draw at the end
- If you are a student, you can get 4 SONA credits for your participation.
Who can take part?
- You can take part in this study if you are either an undergraduate with no experience delivering interventions or a psychological practitioner (e.g. Assistant Psychologist, Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner etc.) with some experience delivering interventions to people with psychosis (either less than one year or more than one year)
- You need to be at least 18 years old to participate and have no current (self-reported) mental health issues that might affect your participation
- Recruitment for this phase will be open until the end of June 2025.
How can I take part?
- Please email the principal investigator (Miriam Hiersch) to take part: mkh29
@sussex.ac.uk - You will then be sent potential dates and you can pick a date/time that suits you.
- The study will take place at the Sussex Education Centre in Hove or at the University of Sussex.
What is the study about?
The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) is a project exploring risk factors in individuals who have experienced eating disorders.
Who is running the study?
The project is led by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) BioResource Centre Maudsley (part of the NIHR BioResource), researchers at King’s College London and Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity.
Why is the study being run?
Eating disorders are severe psychiatric illnesses and are associated with one of the highest mortality rates within mental health.
EDGI is a project set up to explore risk factors in individuals who have experienced eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder or any other eating disorder at any time in their lives.
It aims to better understand the genetic and environmental links to eating disorders in order to improve treatments for current and future patients. EDGI is also part of the NIHR BioResource, which is a large panel of participants with and without health conditions, that are interested in taking part in research; with the aim to improve health and medical care.
Why should you take part?
- Taking part will contribute to knowledge about some of the causes of eating disorders. This knowledge may lead to better treatment guidelines and improve future care for patients
- EDGI is an information resource for members, therefore participants will have access to pages dedicated to providing useful information to members
- Once someone is a member, they will access to further optional questionnaires and the opportunity to take part in further research studies.
What will taking part involve?
- Providing access to your medical records
- Completing some questionnaires
- Giving a saliva sample
EDGI is also an online resource providing information, other optional questionnaires and research studies you may be interested in.
Who can take part?
Anyone who:
- Is aged 16+
- Lives in England
- Is currently experiencing or has experienced an eating disorder in the past
How can I take part?
Upon signing up, participants will be asked which NHS Trust they belong to - please enter 'Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust'.
Visit the EDGI UK website to find out more
Contact
Email: spft.
The ECHOES study, opened in November 2023, offers support for young people who are distressed by hearing voices and will conduct a preliminary evaluation of a psychological intervention package for delivery through Mental Health Support Teams within secondary schools.
What is the study about?
The experience of hearing voices occurs when an auditory experience is present in the absence of the corresponding sensory input. This is a common experience for young people, with prevalence rates estimated at 12%. The voices can be experienced as very critical, domineering and disruptive, and have many negative
impacts on young people. There are no evidence-based psychological interventions for the treatment of distressing voices in young people. A focus upon coping strategies has been suggested as a useful approach for intervention.
This study will evaluate an intervention package that has the potential to benefit both the young person and the people who support them. The package will include a 1:1 coping intervention for young people, a psychoeducation workshop for supporters nominated by the young people and a psychoeducational workshop for school staff. Separate elements of this intervention package have been piloted within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). As adolescence provides a crucial window of opportunity for early intervention to prevent suffering and disability and improve life trajectories, the intervention package will be offered and evaluated within schools to maximize accessibility.
We have produced a short animation to explain what the study is about. Please click here to learn more.
Who is running the study?
The study will be delivered by researchers and staff from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Voice Collective (a national charity young people who hear voices), Thought-Full (the provider of Mental Health Support Teams within schools in West Sussex) and the University of Lancaster.
Why is the study being run?
The study will address the following questions in relation to the intervention package as it is tested and refined on a small scale:
- Is it acceptable to young people, those who support them, and staff and practitioners within secondary schools?
- What is the optimum content, structure and duration?
- Is delivery feasible for the practitioners and what are their requirements for training and supervision?
- What tools can be used to evaluate impact?
Benefits of taking part
Participants will help us to explore the feasibility of offering interventions for distressing voices within secondary schools.
What will taking part involve?
The study will consist of an iterative process over four phases:
- Phase 1 – co-decision making with young people (N=12), parents (N=12) and school staff (N=12) will lead to the development of an intervention package that can be delivered in secondary schools.
- Phase 2 – the intervention package will be delivered through Thought-full, the Mental Health Support Teams in School initiative in West Sussex, to three groups of participants recruited from secondary schools (N=96 in total): N=32 students who have self-referred or been referred to the study; N=32 supporters who have been nominated by the students; and N=32 school staff.
- Phase 3 – quantitative and qualitative data will be collected from all participants. In addition, qualitative data will be collected from the practitioners who deliver the intervention package (N= 5-10). Feasibility, acceptability and outcome measures will be summarised using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data will be analysed using the Framework Method.
- Phase 4 – the young people, parents and school staff from Phase 1 will re-convene to revise the intervention package in the light of the learning from Phases 2 and 3.
Who can take part?
Volunteers (Phases 1 and 4):
- Students – within Years 7-11 (ages ranging from 11-16 years) at one of the 13 schools served by Thought-Full. There will be no criterion related to personal experience of hearing voices and/or mental health problems
- Parents – of a student within Years 7-11 at one of the 13 schools served by Thought-Full. There will no criterion related to the student or the parent having personal experience of hearing voices and/or mental health problems
- School staff – will be permanent members of staff at one of the 13 schools served by Thought-Full. There will be no criterion related to the staff having pastoral responsibilities within the school.
Participants (students – Phases 2 and 3):
- Attending one of the schools selected for participation in Phase 2
- Within Years 7-11 of the selected schools
- Willing and able to provide written, informed assent. Assent to approach the student’s parent/carer will be required for all
students. The parent/carer of the student will need to give written informed consent. - Reporting a current and distressing voice hearing experience
- Not a volunteer within this study
Participants (Plus-1s – Phases 2 and 3):
- Nominated by one of the student participants
- Aged 16 years or over
- Willing and able to provide written, informed consent.
- Not a volunteer within this study
- Not a student within secondary education.
- Participants (school staff – Phases 2 and 3)
- A member of permanent staff at one of the selected schools
- Willing and able to provide written, informed consent
- Not a volunteer within this study.
How can I take part?
If you have any questions or about any aspect of the study, please speak to Mark Hayward, the Chief Investigator for the study, using the contact details below.
More information and contact details
Read the protocol for ECHOES here: Support for young people who are distressed by hearing voices: protocol for an uncontrolled feasibility evaluation of a psychological intervention package delivered within secondary schools (the ECHOES study) March 2025
Professor Mark Hayward
Tel: 07770 331160
Email: mark.
What is the study about?
Some people with psychosis hear voices talking when no one else is around. The NHS recommends Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (or CBT) for people with psychosis who hear distressing voices. However, CBT usually lasts several months and needs to be delivered by highly trained therapists. As NHS resources are limited, only a minority of people with psychosis are offered CBT.
The purpose of this study is to find out if a shorter version of CBT, delivered by briefly trained therapists, can be helpful for people who hear distressing voices. We will evaluate this form of CBT by comparing it to a control group who will receive no additional interventions.
Timelines
The study opened inl 2022 and will conclude on 30 October 2024. The recruitment of participants is planned for the 12-month period from October 2022 to September 2023.
Who is running the study?
We are running this study in collaboration with the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Pennine Care Foundation Trust, the Universities of Sussex, Manchester and Surrey, and the National Institute for Health & Care Research.
Why is the study being run?
The findings of this study will provide helpful information about ways of increasing access to CBT for people who experience distressing voice hearing.
Why should you take part?
The information we find out from this research will help provide helpful information about whether CBT delivered by briefly trained therapists is helpful for people who hear distressing voices. This will help mental health services to make decisions about what therapies should be provided for people who hear voices.
What will taking part involve?
Eligible participants will be asked to complete an assessment with a research assistant before being randomly allocated to one of the two groups within the study; one group will receive the shorter version of CBT delivered by briefly trained therapists in addition to their usual care and another group will receive only their usual care.
A further two assessments will be completed: 16 weeks after the allocation and 28 weeks after the allocation.
Participants will be paid £20 for each assessment they complete. The cost of travelling to the assessments can be repaid.
Who can take part?
People can take part if they have a diagnosis of psychosis and are currently distressed by hearing voices. In total, 130 people will take part in the study; 65 will receive the shorter version of CBT delivered by briefly trained therapists in addition to their usual care and 65 will be in a control group who will continue to receive their usual care.
Study protocol
See the protocol for GiVE 3 here.
Contact details
Email: spft.Give3@nhs.net
What is the study about?
We are testing a novel therapy against anxiety which focuses on signals from our bodies, such as heartbeats, and teaches people to better feel and understand these signals.
Who is running the study?
This study is organised by researchers at the Clinical Neuroscience Department at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. The study sponsor is University of Sussex. Funding comes from the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Why is the study being run?
In this clinical trial, we have three goals. First, we want to see if this new therapy could be part of the standard treatments that are offered in NHS mental health services. Secondly, we want to test if patients prefer to receive our therapy by themselves or with guidance from an online therapist. Lastly, we want to make sure that HeartRater:Clinical is as inclusive and easy-to-use as possible.
Why should you take part?
The research is designed to help with symptoms of anxiety and may help with your experience of anxiety.
You will also help us to learn more about the treatment of anxiety for patients in the future
What will taking part involve?
- Eligibility Interview and informed consent
We will ask you some short questions, so we get a better idea of whether the therapy is the right fit for you or not. If the study criteria match you, we will ask you to complete a more detailed eligibility assessment. We will ask you to provide informed consent before you give us more information about your anxiety, your physical health, and your mental health in general.
If you are eligible, you will be randomly assigned to receive the therapy with an online therapist or by yourself. This means you have a 50:50 chance of being in either group. We will then ask you again to sign a consent form where you declare that you understand what your participation in the trial involves and consent to taking part in the trial. - Baseline Assessment
We will send you the necessary HeartRater: Clinical equipment in the post to your home. This will include detailed instructions on how to use everything, a tablet computer, and a sensor to measure your heart beats. This sensor is a research-type electrocardiogram (ECG), with three leads that you can attach yourself to your upper and lower body. For the baseline assessment, you will use the software on the tablet that guides you through the different steps. You will be asked to complete two tasks to test how well you can detect your heartbeat in your body, and a range of questionnaires about your anxiety, emotions, and other experiences. - Therapy sessions 1 - 4
In each therapy session, you will use the HeartRater:Clinical equipment. You will be asked to try and detect your heartbeat and receive feedback on how you are doing. This can be difficult in the beginning but will get easier with each session. You will complete 1-2 sessions per week, depending on your preference and availability. - Mid-point assessment
We will ask you again to complete the two tasks from the baseline assessment and fill out the same questionnaires.
- Therapy sessions 5 & 6
These are the same as therapy sessions 1-4.
- End-point assessment (2 hours)
The end-point assessment is the same as the baseline and mid-point assessment, with some additional questionnaires.
- We will also offer a reimbursement of £10/hour for the time you spend on the baseline, mid-point, and end-point assessments.
- If you take part in the trial, your participation will take approximately 8 weeks.
- You will still be able to receive standard IAPT/Talking Therapies treatment after you finish the trial.
Who can take part?
- Over the age of 18 years old
- A diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, or panic disorder
-
On the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service treatment waiting list
How can I take part?
If you wish to learn more, please register your interest by emailing the research Coordinator (joanna.
Contact details:
Email: joanna.
Phone: 07825 753368
What is this study about?
This is a survey of people's thoughts and perceptions of medical devices (technology which is used to diagnose, monitor, or treat a health condition). We're interested in hearing from everyone, those who have and those who haven’t had experience with medical devices.
This survey forms part of the Technology Integrated Health Management (TIHM) for Dementia trial which has been approved by the Health Research Authority and the London – Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee.
Who is running the study?
Surrey and Borders NHS Trust
Why should you take part?
By completing this short questionnaire, you'll contribute to the understanding of perceptions around medical devices and help shape how medical devices are used and explained to people in the future.
What will taking part involve?
Taking part is really easy. All you need to do is answer a series of multiple choice and free answer questions about your understanding of medical devices. The survey is online and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Who can take part?
Anyone aged 18 or over and willing to provide informed consent. We are interested in hearing from everyone over 18, those who have and those who haven’t had experience with medical devices.
How can I take part?
For more information and to take part please click here
or cut and paste this link into your browser: https://
If you need help completing this survey, please contact the Sussex Partnership Research team: E: spft.
Contact
If you have concerns about any aspect of this study, please contact the Chief Investigator, Professor Helen Rostill on 01372 21616.
If you'd prefer to speak to someone not directly involved with the study, contact Olga Balazikova, Research and Development Manager on 01932 723310.
Why is this study important?
- The first year of life is a critical time of development, but it is also the most common age for children to be brought to court by social workers in care proceedings. These infants' mothers often have contact with mental health services. They may also be parenting amidst issues such as poverty, lack of social support, and sometimes domestic violence or substance use. When social services become involved, it can put more pressure on mothers’ mental health, causing difficulties to spiral.
- Having a baby is a big transition, but it can also be a ‘window of opportunity’ to offer support to families facing difficulties. However, practitioners say they find it hard to engage with families at risk of custody removal and lack guidance on this. Mothers with infants involved with the child protection system say they are less satisfied with the support they receive from services and have more needs left unmet than other mothers. Those who have their infants removed from their custody describe this as a time of acute crisis but struggle to get therapeutic support.
What will the study involve?
- This novel study uses quantitative and qualitative methods and co-design to explore these families’ experiences further and identify how mental health services can work with them better.
- Researchers will interview around 30 mothers (and their family members) across England, including within Sussex Partnership, who accessed mental health support perinatally and had child protection involvement. We will explore their views of their needs and how they believe they and their infants can best be supported.
- The aim of this project is to identify ways to improve the provision of perinatal mental health services for mothers at risk of having their infants removed from their custody, both to help meet their needs and support mother-infant dyads.
- The research will explore mothers’ characteristics, needs and service use experiences, including how their needs are understood and framed in this context, what influences their engagement with services, how different needs may cluster together, and how this can affect outcomes. The project will produce creative resources designed to amplify the voice(s) of this population and support practitioners working in this area.
Who is running the study?
Kings College London is running this study, which is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
The recruitment period is February 2024 - February 2029.
Sussex Partnership is pleased to be a site for this study.
Contact details
For more information, please see here
Email: spft.
Stressed? Depressed? Anxious?
Would you like to try a novel way to help manage your mental wellbeing and be part of a national study? Are you curious about whether getting into cold water outdoors can really help your mental health?
What is the study about?
Activities near water, like swimming, are becoming more popular and seem to improve mental health. Swimming outdoors, especially, seems to have benefits beyond just exercise. People say it helps them feel present and escape from stress. Swimming might affect the body in ways that help mental health, like stimulating nerves or changing hormone levels.
Previous research suggests that swimming outdoors might reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. A previous study hinted that outdoor swimming could help with depression, but more extensive research is needed. If future studies support these findings, outdoor swimming could become recognised as helpful for depression, and available across the UK.
This study is being undertaken to find out if swimming outdoors can reduce the symptoms and improve the lives of people experiencing depression and anxiety.
Who is running the study?
The study is sponsored by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT), funded by NIHR Policy Research Programme (PRP) and affiliated with the Universities of Sussex, Portsmouth and Oxford.
What will taking part involve?
The study uses a design called a ‘Randomised Controlled Trial’ or ‘RCT’. This means that participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group is the ‘intervention’ group. The other group is the ‘control’ group. By comparing these two groups we can determine whether or not the swim intervention is effective.
- The swim courses will consist of a one-hour session, once a week for 8 weeks.
- The intervention group will undertake the swim course at the beginning of this period and the control group at the end.
- Both groups complete questionnaires during at different time points during the study.
Participants will also be invited to write diaries and be interviewed about the experience.
Swim locations:
Taplow Lake, Amerden Lane Taplow, Nr Maidenhead SL6 0EA
Roker beach, Sunderland SR6 0PL
Rayrigg Meadow, Rayrigg Rd, Windermere LA23 1BP
Ilkley Lido, Ilkley LS29 0BZ
Salford Quays, Manchester M50 3AZ
Notts County Sailing Club, Hoveringham, Nottingham NG14 7JX
Jesus Green Lido, Cambridge CB4 3AX
West Country Water Park, Bristol BS36 1RY
River Wey, Newark Lane near Woking
Parliament Hill Lido, London NW5 1LT
Chalkwell Beach,Southend-on-Sea
Loddington Farm Lake, Loddington Lane, Linton, Maidstone, Kent ME17 4AG
Sea Lanes, Brighton BN2 1BX
Lymington Sea Water Baths, Lymington SO41 3SE
Jubilee Pools, Penzance TR18 4FF
Who can take part?
To take part in the study you must:
- Be aged 18 or over.
- Currently have symptoms of depression.
- Swimming ability – this will depend on your nearest swimming location. Some locations will require that you can swim at least two lengths of a standard pool and some locations are open to non-swimmers.
- Have no serious medical conditions that would make open water swimming unsafe for you. This will be determined by a member of our medical team who can review your health history questionnaire.
How can I take part?
If you would like further information or would like to take part in the study please visit the OUTSIDE website.
There is more information in this short film, produced by the study team.
Contact
Email: spnt.
This study aims to see how many people with psychosis may have a specific problem with their immune system. We can find out that by testing your blood sample for specific antibodies.
Who is running the study?
The study is sponsored by the University of Oxford. The study will take place in over 40 NHS mental health Trusts in England and Scotland and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to be a site for this study.
Why is the study being run?
There is some evidence that some cases of psychosis may be caused by a specific problem with the immune system. If the immune system goes wrong it may cause conditions called ‘autoimmune’ diseases. We can diagnose some of these diseases using blood tests. If a problem with immune system is found, then you may be eligible to take part in an additional study called SINAPPS2. In the SINAPPS2 study we are testing a new treatment that may help people who have psychosis due to their specific problem with their immune system.
Why should you take part?
It is your decision whether you take part. If you agree to take part, you are free to withdraw at any time without giving a reason.
You may/may not directly benefit from taking part in this study. However, if you did have a positive blood test, it would mean your doctor may suggest starting different treatment to help your symptoms as most immune diseases are treatable. The advantages then are the possibility of a new diagnosis or more accurate monitoring of your current condition.
What will taking part involve?
You will spend around 15 minutes with a member of the research team asking you questions about your problems. You will have a 23 ml (approximately one and half tablespoon) sample of blood taken. We will pay you £10 to compensate for the time and inconvenience.
Who can take part?
People referred to a mental health service as possibly having psychosis or are experiencing symptoms of psychosis.
How can I take part?
The study is recruiting participants from participating teams within Sussex Partnership. Participating teams will introduce and invite patients to participate in the study.
To find out more about the study please see the University of Oxford website here.
Contact details
Email: spft.
What combinations of support and therapies are helpful for different people experiencing psychosis, when and why?
Are you someone who has had experience of psychosis or experiences that are like psychosis (e.g. voices and visions)?
Or,
Are you a friend, family member or supporter of someone who has had these experiences?
Would you like to take part in an important research project looking at what helps people’s recovery?
We are interested in anything you find or have found helpful.
What is the study about?
Psychosis can require a combination of supports and therapies, and we need to understand better how they facilitate recovery, including how people’s own personal and social resources might be better mobilised. As a project we have a positive outlook. We are involving staff, service users, their friends and family in the project. By working together, we believe we can influence the future of services for people who experience psychosis. The study welcomes people from all backgrounds.
Who is running the study?
This study is led by Canterbury Christ Church University, Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology.
What will taking part involve?
Mental health service staff
If you take part, you can choose to:
- Attend one or more creative workshops about recovery.
- Register your interest in having an interview.
- Join the study email list or closed social media pages to see project updates and comment
Service users, friends or family
If you take part, you can choose to:
- Attend one or more in-person creative workshops about recovery (with a supporter if this would be helpful to you).
- Register your interest in having an interview.
- Join the study email list or closed social media pages to see project updates and comment on them.
Who can take part?
- Are you a mental health service staff member who has a role delivering care, support or treatment to people who experience psychosis ?
- Are you someone who has had experience of psychosis or experiences that are like psychosis (e.g. voices and visions)?
Or,
- Are you a friend, family member or supporter of someone who has had these experiences?
How can I take part?
Email: sue.
Call: 01227 927217
What is the study about?
The SloMo2 study will explore how well SloMo therapy works when used in everyday NHS mental health services. SloMo is a digitally supported talking therapy designed to help people who have worries about harm from others. It works by helping people slow down fast thinking habits that can contribute to worries, to find ways of feeling safer and living well. Previous research has shown that people find SloMo helpful, easy to use, and enjoyable.
This study will assess how SloMo can be delivered by NHS therapists and whether it improves outcomes for service users. The target is to deliver SloMo therapy to 150 service user participants (50 per NHS Trust site), recruited over an 18-month period.
We will measure SloMo's impact on service user's mental health, how well it fits into routine care, and its value for money. If successful, SloMo could be made more widely available across the NHS.
Who is running the study?
The SloMo2 study is led by King’s College London in collaboration with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust (CNTW).
The Chief Investigator is Dr. Amy Hardy, supported by a team of co-investigators, specialists, and NHS therapists across these trusts. The study is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
What is the possible impact?
The possible impact of the SloMo2 study includes:
- Improved support for paranoia
- Wider availability of SloMo across the NHS
- More engaging therapy
- Cost savings
- Reduced inequalities
What are the benefits of taking part?
In the previous SloMo trial, people found that the therapy helped them to slow down their thinking and worry less. They also reported improvements to their wellbeing. People found it enjoyable and easy to use. As we have evidence that SloMo can be helpful, and it is being offered within NHS care, we will not provide financial reimbursement for participation. With your consent, we will let you know about opportunities to participate in related research in future (e.g., an interview about your experience of SloMo), for which you will be reimbursed for your time.
What will taking part involve?
SloMo includes 11 one-to-one sessions with a therapist, typically lasting one hour each. Sessions will be supported by an online therapy platform which will includes videos of people sharing their worries, with tips about what can help you feel safer. You will be encouraged to try out these tips in sessions and find what works for you. Between sessions, the SloMo mobile app will help you identify worries and use the tips to feel safer. The app also provides a summary of your therapy sessions, and helps you keep track of progress. We recommend use of the SloMo mobile app to support your learning, however how much you use it is up to you.
Who can take part?
SloMo is for adults (18+), who are experiencing fear of harm from others. It has been co-developed with individuals with lived experience of these difficulties, to be as helpful and user-friendly as possible, including for people who do not feel confident using technology. The therapy is suitable for use by people who are currently under the care of NHS services.
How can I take part?
If you are interested in trying SloMo, contact your care co-ordinator, doctor or local NHS SloMo team. If a SloMo therapist is available, they will help you consider if the therapy is suitable for you. You will be given an information sheet and can ask any further questions before deciding whether to try SloMo. Your usual care will not change whether or not you take part
Contact details
Lauren Alff, Research Assistant
E: l.
Dr Sarah Mansfield, SloMo Therapy Lead
E: Sarah.Mansfield10@
Prof Kathy Greenwood, Principal Investigator
E: k.e.greenwood@
Further information
What is the study about?
In this study, we want to see if Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (shortened to EMDR) is better than other treatments for helping people with a learning disability, to remember bad things without them feeling as upset as they usually do.
Who is running the study?
The study is managed by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The person in charge of looking after the study, known as the Chief Investigator is Professor Paul Willner.
Why is the study being run?
Sometimes people with learning disabilities are badly treated, or have bad things happen to them. This can mean that they sometimes suffer from a condition called post-traumatic stress disorder (shortened to PTSD). People with PTSD are often frightened that bad things might happen again, and it can stop them from going out and enjoying life to the full. This study will be looking at a treatment that works quite well for some people with PTSD. This treatment is known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
In this study, we want to see if EMDR is better than other treatments for helping people with a learning disability, to remember bad things without them feeling as upset as they usually do.
Why should you take part?
It is up to you to decide whether or not you want to take part in this study.
In this study you will have the opportunity to talk about things that have happened to you in the past and you may find it useful to have someone to talk to about what happened and how you feel. You will also help us to know if EMDR does help people with learning disabilities and PTSD, and this could benefit people with learning disabilities in the future.
What will taking part involve?
If you're eligible for the trial, you will either have EMDR or the usual treatment that the psychologist or therapist would usually give someone (known as standard care).
Altogether, we will ask you and your carer to complete the questionnaires four times:
- before the start of your treatment
- after 4 months of treatment
- after 8 months of treatment
- and another 6 months later.
Each time we do this it will take about an hour.
Who can take part?
People with a learning disability who have been referred for treatment of PTSD to a team that is taking part in this study can take part. We would also like to ask some questions to the carers of people participating in the study. Carers will only be invited to participate if the person they care for has given us permission to talk to carers about them.
How can I take part?
The study is recruiting participants from participating teams within Sussex Partnership. Participating teams will introduce and invite patients to participate in the study.
Contact details
Lauren Mose
What is the study about?
One in three people with psychosis have visions, also known as visual hallucinations. Surprisingly, little is known about these experiences. We are trying to understand more about the thoughts people have about their visions and the impact they can have on their lives. This study aims to develop our understanding of visions in two ways:
- Develop a new measure exploring people's beliefs about visions
- Explore the relationship between visions and other issues such as poor sleep, high worry.
Who is running the study?
The study is led by Dr Charlotte Aynsworth (Gateshead Early Intervention in Psychosis,Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust and Department of Psychology, University of York). The study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which is part of the UK Department of Health and Social Care. It is sponsored by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Foundation Trust (CNTW). The study is taking part nationwide, and is supported by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust.
What is the possible impact?
Understanding more about the way in which people make sense of their visual hallucinations, and the impact it has on their lives, will be very helpful in enabling us to develop better treatments for people with visions.
What are the benefits of taking part?
There are not any direct benefits of taking part in the study. However, some people can find the questions interesting and find it reassuring to learn that their experiences are common. Equally, people often appreciate the opportunity to take part in research. Whilst this study does not offer a treatment for visions, the information you share may help us to develop new beneficial treatments for these in the future. You receive £10 for taking part.
What will taking part involve?
A researcher from your local NHS Trust will go through this study information sheet with you and can answer any questions you have. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form. You will then be invited to complete a pack of questionnaires which should take between 30 and 45 minutes. Your answers will be kept confidential. Someone can support you to complete this, or it can be done on your own online. You get £10 for taking part.
A small group of about 100 participants will also be asked if they would be willing to complete two of the same questionnaires again one week later. This would be a shorter meeting and will take about 15 minutes to complete. This is optional and you can choose to say no and still take part in the main part of the study. A further £10 will be paid to those who complete the second question pack.
Who can take part?
Approximately 900 people will take part in the study. Each person must:
- Be aged 16 or 65.
- Be in contact with mental health services.
- Have been given a diagnosis of non-affective psychosis (e.g. schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder or psychosis not otherwise specified).
- Currently experiencing visions (within the last 4 weeks).
How can I take part?
If you would like to find out more, please talk to a clinician involved in your care, who can contact us via the details below.
Contact
Principal Investigator: Dr Charlotte Aynsworth, Research Clinical Psychologist/NIHR Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellow
Email: charlotte.
Contact for Sussex
Joanna Pooley, Clinical Research Practitioner
Email: Joanna.