Log in
Recent NHS policy has prioritised improving access to cost-effective psychological interventions for people with mental health problems. Research by Lucock at the Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CHSCR) has contributed to meeting this challenge by developing and evaluating self-help interventions which can be provided by a range of NHS staff without professional psychotherapy or mental health training. This work has resulted in the creation of the Self-Help Access in Routine Primary Care (SHARP) initiative, a programme that gives practitioners materials and training which enable them to deliver brief self-help interventions supported by a dedicated website and a range of leaflets that recognise service users' need for easy-to-understand material. Feedback from practitioners on the website and training has been positive. There is evidence of positive impacts of the training on practitioners' confidence in their ability to deal with anxiety and depression, and in greater use of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) approaches with patients. Evidence from testimony demonstrates impact on practice. Research also provides evidence of benefit to patients in terms of reduction of anxiety and depression and goal attainment. The research has also influenced national guidance on best practice.
Primary research with people with multiple sclerosis and their carers, led by Brunel, has had positive impacts on service user and government organisations internationally; research has improved practice in relation to the nature and effect of self-management strategies of people with Multiple Sclerosis, as well as enhancing therapy for the condition and raising awareness of the needs of carers. The research has shaped evidence-based guidelines, consensus papers, reports and policies, which have in turn enhanced the effectiveness of professional practice and service delivery. Through developing the evidence base and sharing best practice the research has resulted in improved health and welfare benefits for people with multiple sclerosis and their carers.
Bridges is a novel programme for self-management of stroke. Training in this programme has been delivered to health and social care practitioners across England, and has recently begun to be taken up in New Zealand. This has resulted in significant changes to the practice of post-stroke practitioners who have incorporated the Bridges programme into their practice, towards using more person centred and self-management approaches. Bridges is the first social enterprise spin out from Kingston University, and was successfully launched in 2013 following development grants from Unltd.
With one in five of the adult population in the UK living with arthritis, self-management education is a key approach used by occupational therapists (OTs) to support people with arthritis. University of Salford research has improved the tools available to OTs to deliver more effective self-management education, demonstrating the following impact:
This case study describes two types of impact. First, awareness of a health benefit has been raised in the treatment of people with diabetes, second, people with diabetes' attitudes to the treatment of diabetes has changed. These impacts were achieved in collaboration with health professionals working for two NHS trusts (Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust and Sussex Community NHS Trust) through the development of new educational materials to increase people with diabetes' awareness of diabetes and diabetes self-care behaviour.
Elevated blood glucose levels — the hallmark of diabetes — is estimated by the World Health Organization to be the third leading cause of premature death globally. Around 4 million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes; their treatment accounts for 10% (£10 billion) of NHS expenditure. Self-management strategies and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle are fundamental to the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Since 2008, Leicester's Diabetes Research Centre has developed, evaluated, disseminated and implemented a range of programmes based on a technique called structured education. The flagship DESMOND programme is run in over half of all clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), affecting thousands of people with newly diagnosed T2DM. The Walking Away prevention programme has been widely implemented in the UK, Ireland and Australia. These programmes are the only nationally available evidence-based structured education programmes for the prevention and management of T2DM.
University of Glasgow research on service design, delivery, and performance in healthcare settings shaped strategies for integrating health and social care organisations in the, then newly formed, East Glasgow Community Health Care Partnership resulting in changes to the organisational development and partnership working practices. Additionally, the research contributed to intelligence and improved practices for ensuring patient safety in Lancaster Royal Infirmary. Through a series of workshops, targeted research communication and collaborative working on strategic planning, the research on service delivery and resilience in healthcare settings contributed to, and shaped developments of, Emergency Guidance and Business Continuity Planning prepared by NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government and NHS 24.