Eleven clinical research assistants (CRAs) work in our community mental health teams, early intervention services, inpatient wards, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services and older adult community mental health teams to communicate directly with staff members and service users regarding opportunities, training and study delivery and patient and public involvement in research.
The CRAs supported recruitment of more than 1,500 participants to more than 30 studies in 2017/18 from interventional and genetic studies to observational projects looking at a wide variety of clinical and service related issues.
The team consists of Tahnee Marquardt (Research Implementation Manager), Anna Heinen (Senior Research Assistant) and eight Clinical Research Assistants: Alex Bothwell, Anne-Marie Nilo, Sherin Varghese, Duncan Dudley-Hicks, Jade Harvey, Heather Guerin, Kazminder Fox and Verity Abbots.
Contact the team on mentalhealthresearch@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk or 01865 902013.
Current studies include:
Depression
LQD aims to compare the clinical and cost effectiveness of lithium versus quetiapine when used as add-on therapies to antidepressant medication for patients with Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD). Participation involves pre-screening questions usually delivered over the phone. Following this a full screening and baseline assessment will be completed, which involves completing study questionnaires and having blood samples and physical observations taken. Participants are then randomised to either lithium or quetiapine. A research assistant will then meet with the participant at eight, 26 and 52 weeks to complete further questionnaires and blood tests.
TACK II invites patients and mental health professionals to assess the effectiveness of DIALOG+, an app developed for clinicians working with patients with depression. The study is a randomised controlled trial, where clinicians will either work with patients using the DIALOG+ app, or follow usual care. This new approach has already been found to improve the quality of life of people with psychosis and we are hoping that patients with depression may experience similar benefits.
GLAD aims to explore the genetic predictors and environmental risk factors for depression and anxiety. Participants will be given the opportunity to donate a saliva sample to the NIHR Mental Health Biobank, which we hope will be a leading resource for future health and social care research. Anyone who has been diagnosed with or treated for anxiety or depression at one stage in their lifetime can participate in this study.
Eating Disorders
TRIANGLE aims to establish whether an online platform of digital resources is helpful for individuals with anorexia nervosa, and their family member. Participation involves using the internet resources and completing online questionnaires.
Perinatal Studies
CAPRI-Voc invites mothers with infants aged between 9-18 months to take part in a study exploring how babies process voices and sounds.
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Alkermes intends to investigate if olanzapine and samidorphan (ALK 3831) can allow patients to have the antipsychotic benefits of olanzapine without the associated weight gain and metabolic risks.
BI is a study assessing the effectiveness of a clinical trial medication. The medication has been developed to improve cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Patients are invited to participate in a computerised cognitive training program alongside taking the medication.
NCMH stands for National Centre for Mental Health. The centre are building a large database containing information about participants’ mental health, physical health, lifestyle and also anonymised genetic information. The cohort is hoped to be a world-leading resource for mental health and social care research. Participants take part in a one-off interview and also donate a blood or saliva sample.
Molgen is a study investigating genetic and non-genetic factors which may increase the risk of developing an adverse drug reaction. This study focuses on clozapine, an antipsychotic medication.
PPIP2 is a pilot study that aims to test enough patients with psychosis to be able to define the prevalence of schizophrenia that is caused by an antibody mediated disorder. Participation involves a blood sample and permission to store the sample for future testing.
RADAR is a randomised trial which aims to assess the benefits and risks of a flexible, supported strategy for antipsychotic dose reduction and discontinuation where possible, in people with schizophrenia and non-affective psychosis.
SCENE looks to develop new ways of supporting patients to improve their social networks and wellbeing. Patients with psychosis are invited to take part in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of working with a social coach for six months. Participants are invited to three follow up appointments over an 18-month period to assess wellbeing.
The Sleep and Psychotic Features Study investigates the relationship between sleep and mood in people who have been referred to NHS mental health services, to understand if sleep problems are present in these people.
GameChange is a research study ran by Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (OCAP). The study aims to test automated Virtual Reality (VR) cognitive therapy for patients with fears in everyday social situations.
Thrive is also ran by OCAP. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of VR cognitive treatment for persecutory delusions. Participants will either received four sessions of cognitive treatment or four sessions of relaxation .
Smoking cessation
ESCAPE assesses the benefits of integrating a smoking cessation treatment into routine psychological care for depression and anxiety. People who currently smoke and are receiving support from IAPT Services will be invited to take part.
Studies for Carers
COP-e Support investigated the effectiveness of an online resource for carers of people with psychosis. Carers are given access to an interactive online resource specifically designed to be helpful for carers of people with psychosis, or usual internet resources. Carers can sign up to this research study over the internet and answer some online questionnaires.
Berkshire:
We have a small team working in our community mental health teams, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services and inpatient wards. We work with clinicians, service users and carers to promote and offer opportunities get involved in research.
Contact the team on research@berkshire.nhs.uk or 0118 378 5264.
Current research includes:
Anxiety:
Autism:
ASC-UK focuses on the lives of adults on the autistic spectrum and understanding their experiences as they age. Study participation involves completion of various questionnaires.
Bipolar disorder:
Imagery Based Emotion Regulation (IBER) looks at whether a psychological therapy can help with the symptoms of anxiety within people already diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Eating disorders:
Triangle aims to examine whether the addition of a patient and carer skill sharing intervention improves long term patient wellbeing following hospital treatment for anorexia. Participants and their carers will be involved in the study for 18 months.
Psychosis and schizophrenia:
PPIP2 Study aims to define the prevalence of psychosis that is caused by an antibody mediated disorder. Participants complete a short questionnaire and provide a blood sample which is then tested and results are shared with them and the clinical team.
EYE-2 is a randomised controlled trial that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a team based intervention in Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP) teams.
Molecular Genetics of Adverse Drug Reactions (MolGen) aims to define the genetic and non-genetic risk factors predisposing to adverse drug reactions to clozapine.
Thrive aims to assess the effectiveness of Virtual Reality cognitive treatment for persecutory delusions. Participants will either received four sessions of cognitive treatment or four sessions of relaxation.
GameChange aims to test automated Virtual Reality (VR) cognitive therapy for patients with fears in everyday social situations.
Find mental health studies taking place in your area using the map below:
Click here for mental health research news from across England.
Visit the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust website for information on mental health studies taking place in Berkshire.
Visit the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust website for information on mental health studies taking place in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
For more information on mental health research in Thames Valley, visit the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, the University of Oxford Department of Experimental Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and the University of Reading School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences websites.
Find studies you could participate in at bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk.