Mental health

Summary

We support the delivery of studies in mental health in the NHS, social care and community settings, including schools.

We support a wide range of research studies in mental health, including:

  • depression
  • anxiety
  • schizophrenia
  • bipolar disorder
  • addictions
  • personality disorder
  • eating disorders
  • self-harm
  • service-related studies

National Specialty Lead

Paul French is the Clinical Research Network (CRN) National Specialty Lead.

Funding opportunities / funding calls

Mental Health Research Groups

We are establishing up to 10 NIHR Mental Health Research Groups (MHRGs) in England.

The MHRG call will run annually for at least 3 years, starting in September 2023. Find out more:

Funding call for Mental Health Research Groups

All mental health funding opportunities

See the latest mental health funding opportunities

Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration

The UK's top mental health researchers are collaborating to transform research discoveries into better treatments and care pathways. Find out more:

NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration

Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme

If you’re a healthcare professional, you could be eligible for our Associate PI Scheme

Help with research

Through the Clinical Research Network (CRN), you can get help with:

  • planning and delivering your research to achieve the greatest impact
  • recruiting patients for your study
  • costs for your study, if you are eligible. This could include money for extra staff, facilities or equipment

Find out more about the Services to support study delivery

Latest news

News

ADHD digital test approved for use by the NHS

News

Telephone-based care can prevent loneliness and depression finds major study

News

Mental health recovery narratives improve the quality of life for others with similar experiences

Latest blogs

Blog

How can we give children in care better access to evidence-based mental health interventions?

Blog

Tackle young people's mental health now to protect the future

Blog

Digital skills support is needed among people with severe mental ill health to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities

Latest case studies

Stories

Improving recovery for people with first episode psychosis

NIHR Mental Health TRC enabled the development of a national database to improve recovery for people with first episode psychosis.

Stories

Routes to Wellness: a person centred approach to research

Routes to Wellness is an NIHR-funded project which aims to co-design a peer support model for improving the mental health and wellbeing of refugees. The study is working collaboratively with refugees, researchers, and service providers to create a shared language about mental health, which will help refugees to identify health goals and access support.

Stories

Moving through the phases of clinical trials in psilocybin research

The potential of psilocybin to treat a range of mental health conditions has gained increasing recognition. Central to the progress in this area is the partnership of King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust with life sciences company Compass Pathways. This partnership was enabled through the support of the NIHR.