Mental Health Research Groups

Summary

We are establishing up to 10 NIHR Mental Health Research Groups (MHRGs) in England in “target areas” with:

• high burden of mental health conditions
• limited local mental health research capacity
• low recruitment into mental health research studies

The MHRGs will be collaborations between higher education institutions (HEIs) in these target areas, and HEIs with more experience and expertise in mental health research, who have a shared ambition to address local applied mental health research needs.

About Mental Health Research Groups

NIHR Mental Health Research Groups (MHRGs) support the development and delivery of high quality applied mental health research, and research teams, across England. 

Mental health problems are the single largest cause of disability in the UK and represent an ever-increasing burden across all ages of the population, and health and social care systems. However, many populations do not receive the support they need and there are significant regional inequalities in both accessing care and research activities. The MHRG programme is seeking to address these inequities.

The funding, which is part of a larger Mental Health Research Initiative,  aims to ultimately establish up to 10 new Mental Health Research Groups in areas of the country where there is currently very little mental health research taking place. The funding will also address the challenges faced by people in geographical areas historically under-served by mental health research.

The MHRGs are collaborations between higher education institutions (HEIs) in these underserved areas and HEIs with more experience and expertise in mental health research who share an ambition to address local applied mental health research needs.

MHRGs will deliver ambitious five year applied mental health research programmes, with the overarching aims of:

• building research capability and capacity in areas of the country currently underserved by research;
• developing a portfolio of at-scale applied health research focussing on the specific mental health-related needs of people in local areas

To achieve these aims, the MHRGs will engage with local health, public health and social care systems, and local communities with lived experience of mental health conditions and of using mental health services and support.

The MHRG call will run annually until at least 2026, the first competition opened in September 2023. 

To help HEIs in underserved areas progress to the stage where they can competitively bid for a MHRG, the NIHR established two sub-schemes to develop research capacity and undertake preparatory work to support a future MHRG application. These are:

The current MHRG portfolio: MHRGs, MHLAs and MHDAs

Currently two MHRGs have been established which are:

• The University of Bath - in partnership with the University of Bristol and University of Exeter
• University of Hull - in partnership with King’s College London and the University of York

Currently two MHLAs have been established which are:

• Teesside University - in partnership with the University of York
• Edge Hill University - in partnership with the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool

Five MHDAs were awarded:

• University of Huddersfield
• University of the West of England, Bristol
• University of Lincoln
• University of East Anglia
• University of Lancaster

How do I apply?

The MHRG funding call has a one stage application process with the option to submit an early Pre-submission form. Full applicant guidance is linked on the Funding Opportunity.

While all universities in England are eligible to apply, the MHRG programme is aimed at HEIs with limited mental health research capacity wishing to expand, and those with no existing MH research capacity, situated within, or within easy reach of target areas.