Mental Health (Hansard, 3 April 2002)

§ Jacqui Smith

The Department has undertaken a number of exercises to inform its future research programme in mental health, in particular to support the National Service Framework (NSF) in mental health. A "Scoping Review of the Effectiveness of Mental Health Services" was conducted by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at York University. A thematic review of the National Health Service Research and Development funded mental health research in relation to the NSF for Mental Health was undertaken by the Institute of Psychiatry. The outputs from these reviews will be considered alongside the Strategic Review of NHS R&D on mental health, which is looking at current research in the NHS on this area, to determine future research priorities in mental health.

Further work on mental health services is being commissioned and includes: literature reviews and primary research concerning the effectiveness of post qualification mental health training; occupational outcomes (social inclusion); self help interventions; early intervention in psychosis; services for women; 1043W assertive outreach (particularly for black and ethnic minority groups); suicide prevention; models of services to support carers; rehabilitation of people with severe personality disorder and delivery of forensic services.

Future research priorities include: evaluation of alternative models for the introduction of primary care mental health workers; suicide prevention strategy; evidence based management of people with dual diagnosis; development of prison mental health services and a randomised controlled trial for effective management of sex offenders.

Ongoing research on mental health services funded via the Department's Policy Research Programme includes: processes of disengagement with assertive outreach for African-Caribbean and white British men—St. Bartholomew's and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry; National Survey of Links between Social Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services—University of Manchester; a randomised controlled trial to detect benefit from training practice nurses in detection and management of psychiatric morbidity—Institute of Psychiatry (Kings College, London); expert topic papers in mental health (women only)—University of Birmingham; expert topic paper in mental health: early intervention—Victoria University, Manchester: expert topic papers in mental health: Self-help Interventions—University of Bristol; child and adolescent mental health services in primary care—University of Manchester; inequalities in mental health: a systematic review—University of Cambridge; pathways into care for the adult mentally ill from various ethnic communities—Institute of Psychiatry (Kings College London); development of culturally appropriate child mental health services: perceptions and use of services'—United Medical and Dental School (Kings College London).

The Department's Health Technology Assessment and Service Delivery and Organisation Programmes are also funding a number of projects in mental health, including: cost utility of the latest anti-psychotics in severe schizophrenia (CUtLASS): a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial; long-term outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy clinical trials in central Scotland; a randomised controlled trial to compare the cost-effectiveness of trycyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and Iofepramine; measurement of health related quality of life in people with dementia: the development of a new instrument responsive to change and an evaluation of current methodology; randomised trial of fluoxetine and cognitive behavioural therapy versus fluoxetine alone in adolescents with persistent major depression; cognitive behavioural therapy in chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomised controlled trial of an outpatient group programme; a randomised controlled multi-centre treatment trial of adolescent anorexia nervosa, including assessment of cost effectiveness and patient acceptability; 1044W problem solving by community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) for anxiety, depression and life difficulties among general practice patients; clinical effectiveness and cost of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation versus ECT in severe depression: a multi centre randomised controlled trial and economic analysis; the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of SSRIs in the treatment of sex offenders; the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of electro-convulsive therapy; services to support carers for people with mental health problems; effectiveness of counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy and GP care for depression in general practice; a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and cost effectiveness of counselling with patients with chronic depression and anxiety; a systematic review of randomised and non-randomised intervention studies to examine which of the brief psychological treatments used in primary care lead to improved outcomes; and continuity of care for people with severe mental illness whose needs span primary, secondary and social care.

In July 2001 the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) was launched and presents a unique opportunity to reshape services and practice in line with the evidence base. The Institute will bring together the research, development and dissemination functions of the full range of mental health services. NIMHE will be concerned with primary, specialist and tertiary care organisations in both health and social care and recognise the need to integrate service development and mental health legislation. One of the standing programmes of NIMHE will be a mental health research network designed to increase the number of multi-centre research projects in mental health.

The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC are funding a number of research projects looking at mental health services and one project looking specifically at people of Asian origin.