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Armed Forces personnel are twice as likely to die on the road as civilians, and around 2.5 times more likely to report alcohol misuse. Evidence from King's College London (KCL) has helped highlight these issues and led to the development of specific post-deployment interventions for service personnel in order to mitigate the impact of deployment on driving behaviour and alcohol use. Delivered during post-deployment decompression, as a result of KCL research these interventions have been mandatorily provided to up to 20,000 service personnel returning from deployment and have led to a significant reduction in road-traffic deaths.
Individuals exposed to trauma are at risk of poor mental health. Researchers at King's College London (KCL) in collaboration with the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, developed a traumatic incident peer support programme — Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) — aimed at mitigating the psychological impact of traumatic events. KCL research demonstrating the effectiveness of TRiM led to the adoption of the programme by the entire UK Armed Forces (~180,000 personnel) and by a range of other organisations that place personnel in harm's way, such as the police, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and security firms. TRiM is also recommended by NATO and the NHS for post incident psychological support.
Time to Change (TTC) is a national programme to reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental health. King's College London (KCL) researchers have conducted most of the original research that led to the intervention, had a major role in planning TTC with two leading mental health charities, Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and have led the evaluation of the programme. That TTC is making a difference across England is evidenced by gradual positive changes in attitudes and behaviour. KCL measures are also being used by the UK Government and to evaluate anti-stigma campaigns in Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden.
The Centre For Community Mental Health (CCMH) is a research team within the Centre for Health and Social Care (CHSCR). CCMH develops and supports research that reduces stigma and social exclusion and which empowers people with mental health problems to lead fulfilling lives in their own communities. The impact of this research has challenged prevailing beliefs and practices and led directly to changes in practice, organisational processes and service design across the world.
Our studies of voice hearing, in adults and children, have shown that it may not always be associated with mental illness and that cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for many people. Our work has led to the development of the Hearing Voices Movement and the International Hearing Voices Network, which now spans 22 countries and which enables people who hear voices to find bespoke solutions and lead normal lives.
The impact of our work on community-based approaches to the management of acute and long term mental ill health led, first, to the development of assertive outreach and crisis resolution teams that reduced hospital admissions by treating people at home; second, our work has led directly to service redesign in many different countries.
Our studies of special and underserved social groups in relation to mental ill health have demonstrated the multiple barriers to services that many people experience. The impact of these studies has included changes in organisational practices to promote greater engagement with service users.
University of Nottingham research in the field of recovery has had a major influence on changes in mental health policy. It has led to a new model of service provision both in the UK (including through NICE guidance and the NHS's outcomes framework) and internationally (including in Western Europe, Scandinavia, Canada, Australia and Asia). The work has contributed to a reduction in the use of mainstream services and has enhanced the quality of life enjoyed by people with mental health problems. It has also been central to the Department of Health's Implementing Recovery through Organisational Change programme, which has pioneered the use of Recovery Colleges and peer support workers in mental health care in the UK.
Research carried out by LSHTM into mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries has promoted new approaches to mental health care and influenced donors, practitioners and policy-makers, contributing to changing global priorities in this area. WHO launched a flagship action plan based on the research, governments and NGOs made substantial financial allocations for implementing the research innovations, and the findings have been translated into treatment guidelines used to train health workers in managing mental illness in many countries.
King's College London (KCL) researchers developed and disseminated the Camberwell Assessment of Need (CAN) which provides a scientifically rigorous and flexible approach to assessing the mental health and social needs of people with a wide range of disorders. Mental Health services around the world are striving to increase the patient-centeredness of their care. The CAN supports this needs-led care planning to help transform mental health policy and practice. KCL work has resulted in CAN being the most internationally recognised and researched assessment tool available. The CAN is widely used in mental health policies and locally adapted versions are routinely used in clinical practice within both statutory mental health services and nongovernmental organisations in the UK and around the world.
Impact resulted from the unit's sustained research in the field, including the leadership of a large EU Framework 6 action project `EMILIA' - the Empowerment of Mental Illness Service Users: Lifelong Learning, Integration and Action, and the follow up project, PROMISE. The findings identified how to reduce social exclusion among people with serious mental illness through lifelong learning and by improving participation in service delivery, education and training, as well as paid employment. The research recommendations were included in a joint EU/WHO policy statement and subsequently rolled out across European Union Member States. The research impacted on the development of European and national policies regarding mental health service users and, through further knowledge transfer activities and the incorporation of the recommendations by a network of providers in 43 countries, also impacted on the profession and mental health service users directly.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)/Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Guidance on "Psychosocial Care for People Affected by Disasters and Major Incidents: a Model for Designing, Delivering and Managing Psychosocial Services for People Involved in Major Incidents, Conflict, Disasters and Terrorism" is a conceptual and practical resource for: developing government policy; planning services, and providing training for health and social care staff. It was informed by underpinning research conducted in Aberdeen following the 1988 Piper Alpha oil platform disaster and evidence briefings generated from a comprehensive review of the world literature. Adopted as best practice guidance by all 28 NATO Members and Partner Nations, it has had regional, national and international impact by: enabling authorities to deliver integrated psychosocial care and mental health services; enhance training; raise awareness, and facilitate the effective utilisation of resources in responding to psychosocial/mental health needs post- incident.
Research by Bhui 1996-2013 showed striking differences by ethnic group in diagnosis and management of mental health disorders due to a complex interplay of socio-cultural factors and different perspectives of patients and professionals. Impacts included: [a] the development and implementation of a UK-wide mental health policy 'Delivering Race Equality'; [b] a national training and workforce development programme that shifted the conceptual paradigm from the cultural competencies of individuals to system-wide intervention (called `cultural consultation'); [c] service development research `Enhancing Pathways into Care' (EPIC) to implement findings and draw lessons across four NHS Trusts; [d] incorporation of research findings into national and international guidelines, and influence on mental health legislation and policy; and [e] a new phase of research on implementing findings.