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11: Mental health consequences of deployment and overstretch in the UK Armed Forces

Summary of the impact

King's College London researchers showed that increased length of deployment has a detrimental effect on the mental health of the UK Armed Forces, and that Reserves were particularly vulnerable to the effect of deployment. This evidence influenced the `Harmony Guidelines', which determine policy and deployment for the UK military. This prevented an additional 308 (7%) cases of PTSD and 431 (8%) cases of alcohol misuse per year. Internationally it influenced the decision by the US Department of Defence to reduce their deployment length. KCL evidence on the mental health consequences of deployment for Reserves, as opposed to Regulars, greatly influenced policy and increased service provision for current and future Reserves.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

03: Improving mental health in the UK Armed Forces and other “at risk” organisations

Summary of the impact

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.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

Experimental evaluation of a national responsible drinking campaign leading to its suspension and recommendations for future campaign development.

Summary of the impact

This case study details an impact relating to health and welfare in which educational practices regarding the dissemination of responsible drinking messages has been influenced, and on public policy and services where this evidence has stimulated policy debate. Specifically, research led to (i) the withdrawal of the Drinkaware Trust's 5-year flagship campaign, Why let the good times go bad? (WLGTGB), and (ii) a recommendation from an independent review to a) involve academics in future campaign development and evaluation, and b) implement changes to the current campaign based on our findings.

Submitting Institution

London South Bank University

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

20: Reducing mental health stigma across England

Summary of the impact

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.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Alcohol Minimum Pricing Policy: government and national debate

Summary of the impact

In 2007, as part of a major update of the national alcohol strategy, the UK Government announced that it would commission an independent national review of the evidence on the relationship between alcohol price, promotion and harm. Subsequently, in 2008, researchers from the University of Sheffield (UoS) were commissioned by the UK Department of Health (DoH) for an `Independent Review of the Effects of Alcohol Pricing and Promotion'.

The UoS research has played a crucial role in informing the debate and deliberations on the available Government options for interventions on alcohol consumption in England and Wales, by providing a robust evidence base to underpin the debate. The UoS research findings have been used to inform policy by senior decision-making bodies e.g. the House of Commons Health Select Committee and the UK Chief Medical Officer to inform policy. The findings have also stimulated the potential for policy intervention beyond England and Wales, e.g. in Scotland and Australia.

Submitting Institution

University of Sheffield

Unit of Assessment

Economics and Econometrics

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin as a diagnostic tool for the detection of continued drinking in high risk drink drivers

Summary of the impact

Research carried out at King's College London (KCL) showed that percentage carbohydrate deficient transferrin (%CDT) can be used as a means to monitor continuous drinking in high-risk offenders. The accurate screening of such drivers helps reduce the number of unsafe drivers on British roads. KCL work has resulted in a change to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's (DVLA) national policy for assessing drink drivers. Percentage CDT has been approved as the sole biomarker for the purpose of re-licensing high-risk drink drivers. This enables faster release of a licence to an abstinent high-risk offender; provides a better basis for the refusal of release in other cases and provides a more reliable control and therefore, a more practicable service, especially for periodic re-granting of licences for special (buses, heavy trucks) drivers.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services

Reducing harms from alcohol in children and young people

Summary of the impact

In 2007, consumption of alcohol by children and young people was made a priority in the Labour Government's National Alcohol Strategy, which acknowledged that whilst decreasing numbers of young people were drinking alcohol, those who were, consumed more alcohol more often. Given the association of high-risk behaviours with high-levels of alcohol consumption, this commitment was taken forward with the publication of the Youth Alcohol Action Plan in 2008.

This case study demonstrates the central role that the group's research has played in guiding and shaping coherent, evidence-based alcohol policy for children and young people, including the development of the first national guidance on alcohol consumption by children and young people in England.

Submitting Institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

The impact of alcohol test purchasing by underage adolescents on the availability of alcohol to minors

Summary of the impact

In 1997 the Home Office commissioned a study of underage test purchasing of alcohol. The study, designed by researchers at Swansea University, led directly to legislation in England and Wales, and later in Scotland and Northern Ireland, permitting underage test purchasing of alcohol under official supervision. Subsequent legislation required local authorities to use test purchasing to control the supply of alcohol to children. The method is now used routinely by every UK police force and local authority trading standards department (and internationally), and sales of alcohol to minors have fallen by over 60%.

Submitting Institution

Swansea University

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

14: Preventing heroin overdose deaths with take-home emergency naloxone

Summary of the impact

King's College London (KCL) researchers discovered that heroin overdose is a common and accidental occurrence which is usually witnessed. Risk of fatal overdose on prison release is exceptionally high with 1 in 200 dying of an overdose within four weeks. KCL researchers proposed and tested the acceptability of prior provision of take-home emergency supplies of the heroin antidote naloxone. KCL research created the stimulus for a national training project for families and carers to administer naloxone and as a result, lives are now being saved. KCL research had a substantial impact on national and international policy and service delivery with take-home naloxone programs introduced around the world. KCL researchers lead the first trial to assess the effectiveness of naloxone for prisoners on release.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

01: Developing a new treatment: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis

Summary of the impact

King's College London (KCL) researchers developed cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis (CBTp), which is now a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-recommended psychological intervention. CBTp is now part of routine NHS treatment and an estimated 25,000 patients in England and Wales receive it annually. Implementation of CBTp has been steered by KCL researchers' involvement with the Government's Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies — Severe Mental Illness initiative. The KCL model for CBTp has been used to develop clinics in Australia and the US and information on this therapy is disseminated via a KCL-led website.

Submitting Institution

King's College London

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Public Health and Health Services

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