Blogs
16 2022
Why recognising good service user and carer involvement in research is so important
We reflect on how and why to celebrate good service user & carer involvement in research following the Public Involvement Awards – and what’s next
13 2022
Loneliness & Mental Health: How research can help find solutions
To mark the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, the McPin team explores the importance of research in investigating - and tackling - loneliness
4 2022
What research questions would you like answered about paranoia?
We’re looking for people with lived experience of paranoia to share their thoughts and help shape the future of paranoia research
21 2022
Peer research at Hive: thriving, creative & juggling many identities
At the end of March, McPin joined over 120 people at the Hive conference to talk about peer research. Here are 5 things we took away from the day
5 2022
Mental health & the cost-of-living crisis
Rethink Mental Illness and McPin look at how money will impact the nation’s mental health more than ever this year – and where to access support
4 2022
“By sharing small bits of myself, interviewees may have opened up more”
Alex Kenny talks about disclosure, empowerment and the need for breaks while working as a peer researcher on a virtual reality project
24 2022
Celebrating Neurodiversity: ‘Learning to hug my brain’
To mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a McPin Lived Experience Researcher shares why the term is a win for them and the wider neurodivergent community
10 2022
Smoking cessation: “The future is a difficult place to contemplate”
GPs could be missing a chance to help people with depression & mental illness stop smoking says smoker & Peer Researcher following a new study
3 2022
Uni Mental Health Day: ‘I forgot it’s OK to take time for myself’
Uni can be an exciting, and stressful, time. We asked our young people’s network what they wish they knew about mental health when they were studying.
15 2022
Finding my voice: hacks for neurominorities in meetings
Small changes can make a huge difference in supporting neurominority human beings to feel included and able to participate in meetings, says a McPin Lived Experience Researcher
7 2022
Schools and researchers – strange pairing or recipe for success?
To celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week, we’ve released a new podcast where members of the REACH project share how to do great research in schools!
Children, young people and families
Read More4 2022
“It can be hard to admit that my self is not enough”
In a hyper-individualistic society obsessed with “self-love” and “self-care”, it can be hard to admit you yearn for companionship and affection, says Young People's Network member Catherine Fadashe
15 2022
Anti-racism and mental health: “All the researchers I’ve worked with have been White”
Sandra Jayacodi reflects on her experiences in research involvement and what researchers and funders can do to be anti-racist
10 2021
Conservatorships & their impact on mental health
To mark Human Rights Day our Head of Public Involvement examines the implications of the Britney Spears conservatorship case on this side of the pond.
Read More7 2021
2021: Mental health, inequality and the role of research
As we wave goodbye to 2021, McPin Research Director Vanessa looks back on some highlights and also ahead to next year.
19 2021
How to give young people agency in mental health
Hear young people & the Agency project team discuss their tips & experiences for having better mental health conversations in our new podcast
Children, young people and families
Improving mental health support
Read More26 2021
4 things I learnt running a social group for people with psychosis
Lived experience facilitator Gill shares why social groups offer more value than they’ve been given credit for, as well as some tips for others looking to set one up
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More19 2021
How lived experience can help revamp mental health tools
Even well-established tools can benefit from service user input found Public Involvement Lead Carolyn Asher following a recent study
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More7 2021
“Being lonely is the opposite of the uni experience we hoped for”
Deserted corridors, students trapped in their rooms, a gnawing loneliness. As we remodel how students live and learn, loneliness must be a key consideration says Catherine Fadashe
Children, young people and families
Read More4 2021
‘GOT NOWT LEFT’ – the impact of inequalities on public mental health
McPin Public Involvement Coordinator Gillian reflects on her own experiences of inequalities as she recruits for a new project around public mental health
4 2021
Visualising Public Mental Health
Public mental health affects us all – this new tool pulls together all the connected components in one visual framework
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More14 2021
‘It gives me an excuse to out myself’ – Jozef’s marathon story
With three weeks to go to the London Marathon one of our fab runners Jozef shares his mental health journey, why this has been a freeing experience, and the importance of self-soothing
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More10 2021
Suicide “postvention”: what do we know about social support?
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, researcher Hannah Scott shares the benefits and challenges of social support after a loss to suicide. 
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More7 2021
“A position of constant anxiety”: How I started living in the present
To celebrate Youth Mental Health Day, student nurse and YPAG member Nkem Naeche shares her top tips for moving forward from an anxious mind-set
Children, young people and families
Read More3 2021
My marathon history – potatoes, past injuries and pain
In today's blog, one of our marathon runners Rowan shares why she's running for McPin, a training update and some good advice
27 2021
Inequality, it is in the air
Air pollution has been linked to severe mental health problems. This is one health inequality where meritocratic arguments just won’t rub, says Dan Robotham
30 2021
A lifeline in limbo but what will become of it?
It doesn’t take much to foster a sense connection and hope but after years of funding cuts and more to come this feels fragile, says Lisa Couperthwaite
29 2021
Anger & chronic diagnosis: “An anger I hadn’t experienced before”
Keep Cool YPAG member Stuart discusses his experiences with anger after a diagnosis, and how he has managed to cope with the emotion.
28 2021
Redesigning employment support to help not hinder
Peer Researcher Gary reflects on his involvement in the Work Well project and how it compared to his own jobhunting experiences
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More27 2021
Mental health data science: “My NHS patient record is a very precious thing”
A lived experience researcher working with McPin on a ‘big data’ project discusses the hidden impact of data in their life
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More23 2021
Why data science is unlocking new doors in mental health research
Data could be the key to new discoveries in mental health research – but it should be handled in the right way
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More19 2021
Calorie counts on menus: Are we feeding eating disorders?
Our guest blogger, Michele Lim, on why making calorie counts on restaurant menus mandatory is misguided and potentially harmful. The blog includes discussion of eating disorders based on the author’s lived experience and academic experience.
Read More
5 2021
My voice matters: Co-production on the PARTNERS2 study
How research helped Dawn Allen to develop new confidence, effect change, and start her own peer support group
18 2021
Mental healthcare and Covid: “At a time when services were needed most, the onus was on us to find other ways to access support”
As the the second phase of the ETHOS study into experiences of secondary mental healthcare during Covid begins, we want to hear from carers!
14 2021
Navigating loneliness research now it’s on our doorstep
Vanessa Pinfold looks at research past and present to inform how we might address the increasingly vital issue of loneliness
17 2021
Why we need to remove this barrier to publishing in research journals
To involve people with lived experience of mental distress in the publishing of research, simple but vital changes must be made says Dan Robotham
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More9 2021
Run the London Marathon for McPin!
The ballot for the London Marathon may be closed but it’s not too late to secure your place in support of McPin & mental health research
2 2021
Covid-19, young people and inequalities: The emerging picture
How did the Covid-19 pandemic impact different groups of young people? A member of our Young People’s Network has unearthed the data
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More11 2021
Forgotten or ignored? Safety research in community mental health services
Have your say on the safety and quality of care provided in adult community-based mental health services
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Improving mental health support
Read More10 2021
Can being in nature really boost our mental health?
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, JJ Buckle soaks up the research on how nature can boost wellbeing
6 2021
Imposter syndrome and work – it’s not a ‘you’ problem
A McPin senior researcher discusses how imposter syndrome is related to discrimination in employment systems, and how peer support and lived experience could counteract it
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More4 2021
Why peer support could play a role in tackling unemployment: the Peer Support Employment Groups Evaluation
There are no easy solutions to long-term unemployment but peer support could help, says Dan Robotham
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More28 2021
How Time To Change got me started as a lived experience researcher
McPin researcher Lisa reflects on the incredible impact Time to Change has had – both on her personally and on the wider mental health landscape - and what needs to happen next
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More21 2021
Time to Change is ending, so what next?
The end of Time to Change marks a personal milestone for McPin founder Vanessa Pinfold, as she shares how McPin has supported the anti-stigma campaign and also been shaped by it
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More13 2021
We want to hear your voice in mental health research
Applications for an exciting doctorate opportunity in Personality Disorder and Autism at City University of London are now open
26 2021
Black Thrive: The benefits and challenges of having a dual role in research
Despite its challenges, being on both the project and evaluation team can bring important and unique perspectives to the project work, says Faith Amasowomwan
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More19 2021
Black Thrive: Becoming a Community Peer Researcher
Although stepping out of my comfort zone was challenging, it was hugely rewarding says Davino Beckford
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More12 2021
Black Thrive: Researching the impacts of Covid-19 on Black people in Lambeth
The purpose of research is not just to find answers but also to raise questions, says Achille Crawford, a trainee evaluator who worked on the Black Thrive Employment Project
Read More
22 2021
The status quo needs disrupting but the road to systems change is rocky
A McPin researcher reflects on how racism is rooted in entangled histories of power, colliding cultures and also deep inside our own brains
Read More22 2021
“It’s fun and enabled me to identify and express my needs”: how gameChange compares to other therapies I’ve tried
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More15 2021
“We need to see lived experience as a strength rather than a risk”
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More7 2021
Endometriosis and mental health: exploring intersecting lived experiences
24 2021
Creative writing and mental health: A journey through 26 letters
15 2021
“Being a lesbian in a homophobic world contributed to the psychotic condition I developed, aged 14”
Dolly Sen reflects on the challenges she experienced growing up as a lesbian and what health professionals and researchers can do to treat LGBT+ people with greater equality, respect and dignity
Read More9 2021
“Sometimes when there is no verbal disapproval, the look on a person’s face, or the deep breath in, can speak volumes.”
Prejudice against LGBT+ people still exists and can cause significant psychological damage. We need to change this, says Gary Coyle
Read More3 2021
“Sharing is brave”: Reflections on how to connect
For Time To Talk Day 2021, we reflected on ‘The Power of Small Conversations’ and thought about what helps us and others start these often difficult conversations about our mental health
Read More18 2021
How to become an anti-racist mental health researcher
This webinar series will take a deep dive into racism and mental health research, with input from the audience, researchers, activists and organisations, to generate actionable ideas for change
14 2020
Looking back and looking forwards at McPin
2020. The year that was – unexpected. Out of a crisis some positives emerge, but mostly this year has been a seismic shock. We have kept going by finding new ways to connect and constantly asking ourselves what next? Read more from Vanessa Pinfold's round-up of the year
7 2020
Successfully co-producing research!
The Community Navigator study is one of the best examples of co-production in research that McPin has been involved in. Here the team reflect on what worked so well.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More2 2020
We often discuss why lived experience improves research quality, but what about the ‘how’?
Rachel Temple reflects on how she has used her lived experience of mental health issues to inform her work with young people in mental health research over the last three years
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More30 2020
The importance of involving people in digital mental health research
Digital mental health products need to have user involvement at the core, says Anja Hollowell
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More27 2020
What’s next for mental health funder Words That Carry On?
The funding for research into the overlap between autism and a diagnosis of personality disorder is just the start of WTCO's ambition to improve the lives of people with a diagnosis of personality disorder
23 2020
How to make partnership working across sectors effective
Partnership working offers great benefits but also presents challenges. Here are our reflections on how to make it a success from a partnership between the mental health and women’s sectors
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More17 2020
“I could relate to every story we heard”: a personal account of working on My Story, Our Future
Gary Coyle, one of the Survivor Researchers on My Story, Our Future, reflects on the connection between his experiences and those of the storytellers, and the impact of the project on his life
27 2020
Research and the frontline: My comments on the Yew Trees hospital abuse
Researchers can have a role in challenging institutional abuse against people with learning disabilities, says Dan Robotham
8 2020
Could training young people in peer support empower them during Covid-19?
What impact would training young people to support their peers during the pandemic have on their own wellbeing? Members of McPin's Young People's Network have helped develop a study to find out
Children, young people and families
Read More18 2020
Digital inclusion must now be a priority for involvement
With the shift to remote working and video meetings looking like a long-term one, funding to bridge the digital divide needs to be built into research grants from this point on, says Dan Robotham
29 2020
“I belong here as much as anyone else, having lived my field of expertise 24/7 for 17 years”
Being a Lived Experience Practitioner allows me to use my past experiences to bring about change but there is still much to be done to appropriately value these roles going forward, says guest blogger Ellie Wildbore
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More8 2020
Conversations on co-production
The coronavirus pandemic has introduced new challenges to co-production and emphasised existing ones. Our bloggers reflect on some core approaches to bear in mind when navigating how to move forward.
Read More7 2020
The screen time spider web & why it is so important to understand its impact
In a socially distanced world, screens have become even more central to life. Now, more than ever, we need clear answers about the nuanced ways that screen time affects our mental health
Children, young people and families
Read More25 2020
Screen time, involvement and what it means for young people to be involved in research
Lucy, a member of McPin Foundation's YPAG, reflects on the experience of working on the Screen Time project.
Children, young people and families
Read More24 2020
Using a peer research approach to evaluate women-led peer support
Peer research not only enriched the findings from the Women Side by Side evaluation, but it also brought mutual benefits to everyone involved, says Tanya MacKay
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More19 2020
The PARTNERS2 pandemic data collection challenge
Members of a trial looking at improving collaborative mental health care explain why they decided to continue the trial during lockdown
Improving mental health support
Read More16 2020
Women Side by Side has helped raise awareness of mental health in a BAME community
Evaluating and facilitating a women-led peer support programme as a peer meant that Fozia Haider was able to experience the benefit of the approach first-hand
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More9 2020
Overcoming imposter syndrome as a peer researcher
Our blogger reveals how her experiences of observing women-led peer support groups during the Women Side by Side evaluation helped dispel fears of feeling like a fraud
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More22 2020
“It has shown us how humans can adapt”: Life in a time of Covid-19
Despite lockdown being hugely difficult for many, our blogger discusses how society has found positive ways to respond
Read More14 2020
“With my healthy strategies for coping unavailable, how was I supposed to manage?” Life in a time of Covid-19
Our blogger describes how lockdown precipitated a drastic decline in her mental health, and what we need to learn from times like this
Read More4 2020
“Somehow, I have found a strength that I never knew existed”: life in a time of Covid-19
Lisa Couperthwaite reflects on the unexpected positives that have emerged for her, amidst the darkness of this crisis
Read More2 2020
Women Side by Side shows what can happen if women are given the space to grow
Naima Iqbal shares her experiences of evaluating a women-led peer support programme, including how spending time with the women helped her own confidence to grow
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More21 2020
#KindnessMatters, but is it enough?
Dan Robotham discusses this year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week
Read More20 2020
Appreciating kindness a whole new way
Humma Andleeb reflects on a podcast by Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Dr David Hamilton about kindness, and how we can continue to find opportunities to be kind during lockdown
Read More13 2020
COVID LIFE: Expressions of our experiences
What happens to our mental health during a public health crisis? Together with a team of peer-researchers, Covid Life will explore the impact of the pandemic
8 2020
Don’t forget about perinatal mental health during Covid
This week is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. During Covid, when normal human contact is not allowed, it has never been more important to remember those who may slip through the cracks
6 2020
Supporting mental health carers: will it get easier to roll out digital NHS interventions?
Pre-Covid-19, implementing the first digital mental health intervention in the NHS proved tough, despite enthusiasm. What we learnt could be useful with our new way of working, say Julie Billsborough and Sheena Foster
10 2020
“Excruciating back pain while self-isolating alone”: life in a time of Covid-19
Julie McWilliam talks about the indirect effects of the pandemic and not being able to let her daughters help
Read More28 2020
“I wish I could tell the scriptwriter they’ve gone too far”: life in a time of Covid-19
Gary Coyle shares some thoughts on life in lockdown and the memories it is bringing up
22 2020
“Making art has helped me in dark times, including now”: life in a time of Covid-19
Finding a way to lose oneself in the joy that comes from transforming something humble into something new can help with the uncertainty of this time
16 2020
Radical collaboration, common sense & a focus on inequality: McPin’s response to the Covid mental health roadmap
The Lancet paper published today is a rapid response to an unfolding, unprecedented situation. Understanding the role and limits of research in addressing Covid’s mental health impact needs careful consideration and the input of many voices
9 2020
#PPIcovid19: Making space for lived experience in Covid research
Good involvement in research takes time. And when there isn’t time – it can degenerate into tokenism or not happen at all. We must not let that happen with Covid-19 research, says Thomas Kabir
18 2020
I miss Wonder Woman: how do I bring the office home with me?
Due to COVID-19 many people will be working from home. Clare Walsby writes about missing the office and its inhabitants, and what small changes you can make during this difficult time
Read More
27 2020
Unfair society, unhealthy lives? Inequality and health in 2020
The publication of the latest Marmot review is depressing. It puts in writing what everyone in the mental health field knows already
Read More
18 2020
My action plan to stay well while working at home
Work really helps my mental health by providing me with structure, routine and social interaction, writes Kathryn Watson. Here are her tips for working from home during this time
Read More3 2020
“It was a real lifeline”: evaluation of MumsAid shows the value of specialist perinatal care
Women really benefited from the non-judgemental counselling they received from the maternal mental health support service, says Laura Wood, a researcher whose own experience informed the evaluation
Read More12 2020
Commissioning research, creating a legacy
Words That Carry On, a fund established in memory of Lindsay Riddoch, is commissioning research that contributes to supporting people with a diagnosis of personality disorder and autism. Fiona, Lindsay’s mum, describes their journey so far
8 2020
Involving peers can enrich research when it’s done right
What factors are important for peer researchers to have in common with research participants? We asked Sarah Markham, an advisory group member, about her involvement in the evaluation of Women Side by Side
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More21 2020
It is time to close the mental health gap that autistic women experience
Autistic people deserve good mental health just as much as their non-autistic peers. Jenn Layton Annable, an autistic woman and master’s student, explains why good quality co-produced research is needed to address this
Read More17 2019
New conversations, VR and more money for young people: looking back on 2019
With the December holidays fast approaching, Vanessa Pinfold reflects on the rollercoaster ride that was 2019 at the McPin Foundation
Read More17 2019
What if family and friend carers could be equal partners in mental health care?
The Triangle of Care helps NHS Trusts to better involve and support family and friend carers in their loved one’s care. Vanessa Pinfold heard from participating Trusts and carers about a culture change that is still unfolding
4 2019
10 things we learnt working at the interface between virtual reality, involvement and mental health research
With digital mental health research now encompassing virtual reality treatments, we must learn how to effectively work with service users in this arena.
3 2019
Principles tell us what good peer support for new mums looks like
Putting lived experience at the heart of a project about perinatal peer support has been key to its success, says Laura Wood
11 2019
Who do you involve when researching public mental health?
Laura E. Fischer explains why recruiting a team of co-researchers based upon ‘expertise by experience’ of public mental health is such a complex task and the guiding principles that helped
Read More
6 2020
Mental Health and Money Advice shows impact of joined up thinking
Mental Health and Money Advice is one of the first services in the UK to address these two interconnecting issues. It was inspiring to evaluate the service, says Lisa Couperthwaite, and hear the impact it has made on people's lives.
15 2019
Fundraising for McPin: 300 miles to better mental health
David Bowman is running the Great South Run in aid of McPin. Here he explains how taking up regular exercise has improved his life
Read More16 2019
What can women’s peer support projects teach us about being gender responsive and trauma-informed?
Andreja Mesaric, the project lead at McPin, outlines how we are evaluating a peer support programme for women who experience multiple disadvantage
10 2019
We asked survivors of abuse to set the research agenda… are we willing to listen?
The violence and abuse research priorities make for uncomfortable reading but the only way to make things better is to hear and respond to what survivors are telling us, says Concetta Perôt
10 2019
Myth-busting through art: Designing a mental health audio tour for the National Gallery
Members of McPin’s Young People’s Network have co-created an audio tour that use artworks to dispel common mental health misconceptions. Here, Hannah Roberts, explains why she was keen to get involved
Children, young people and families
Read More7 2019
5 things I learnt from working with the Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network
While identifying research priorities for the network, Dan Robotham learnt a lot about abuse, how to involve survivors and how frustrating it is that their voices aren’t at the forefront of research and services in this area
26 2019
7 ways to improve wellbeing at work
This Happiness at Work week, Operations Manager Clare Walsby takes you on a whistle-stop tour of the things that have helped make the McPin office a more enjoyable place to be
13 2019
Applying common sense to show the benefits of relevant lived experience
One of the questions that people often ask about involvement is whether it makes any difference. If so, where is the evidence? Dan Robotham responds
26 2019
“Safer on the streets than at home”: women’s stories of homelessness
Gary Coyle, a peer researcher at McPin Foundation, reflects on a book that shows the stark reality of women experiencing homelessness through personal accounts. Read his moving review of Bekki Perriman's ‘Doorways: Women, Homelessness, Trauma and Resistance’.
22 2019
“Wrestling some power back for the women”: My experiences researching medication decision-making in pregnancy
Charlotte Walker was a peer researcher on a study looking at how women make decisions about taking psychotropic medications during pregnancy. She reflects on the strong bonds formed with participants and frustrations with the academic dissemination process
10 2019
“Who will support my son when I am gone?” What needs to change for carers
Research isn't the only thing that could make life better for carers. Money, common sense and clear leadership to implement the changes we all know are needed would go along way, found Vanessa Pinfold at an emotionally charged workshop on caring and mental health
3 2019
Sharing power in a complex mental health research programme
John Gibson, a service user researcher, reflects on his experiences as a member of a lived experience advisory panel and then as part of the university’s research team
1 2019
How to break down power structures in coproduced research
It is Co-production Week and the theme is sharing power, something that is central to the very definition of co-production. But what does this look like in reality?
27 2019
User-testing VR for psychosis: Making a safe space for people to gain confidence
As a student, Thomas Kabir wished he’d had a place to try out situations he found difficult. He explains why VR therapy for psychosis could be a gamechanger and why it is essential that people with psychosis are part of every phase of its development
22 2019
Imposter syndrome and Public Involvement: How to make it easier to speak up
Involving people with lived experience in research often requires them to give opinions in meetings. Our Public Involvement in Research Officer, Rachel Temple, draws on her experience as attendee and researcher to come up with ways to put people at ease
15 2019
Vloggers, K-pop and family dinners – how culture impacts on body image
Our guest blogger explores the social and culture factors that influence how young East Asians feel about their bodies
Children, young people and families
Read More2 2019
“The YPAG gave me a totally different perspective”: a researcher on receiving young people’s feedback
Miriam Avery was nervous about presenting her research proposals to McPin’s Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG) but the experience helped her hone her research question and gave her fresh ideas of how to involve young people
11 2019
Why we all need a social media detox once in a while
Guest blogger Erin has been using Instagram since she was 10. She opens up about her social media use and her concerns that the lack of research means we don't yet know what its impact is
Read More4 2019
Predatory publishing and peer research – why we need to prepare people
Academic spam can be funny if you know how to spot it. But those who are new to research can be sucked in and have their time wasted. We need to prepare people to hit delete, says Dan Robotham
28 2019
Whose idea is it anyway? Using research infrastructure to turn people’s ideas into projects
Connecting with others and working in partnership is a big part of McPin’s ethos. One of the best ways to do this is to visit people on their home turf. In February, our Deputy Research Director, Dan Robotham, went to see an initiative at the University of Cambridge that helps people’s research ideas get off the ground.
8 2019
We need a wider lens on equality in science than gender alone
On International Women's Day, our research director Vanessa Pinfold reflects on equality in the mental health research sector, inspirational women and the recent LancetWomen event
27 2019
Mental health research – it is still underfunded
"There are significant gaps in terms of types of research being prioritised, the topics invested in and the health areas targeted": Research director, Vanessa Pinfold, discusses the key findings from MQ's latest look at the mental health funding landscape
7 2019
This Time to Talk Day, take time to time to listen
When someone opens up about their mental health difficulties, my personal experience and McPin's research into peer support, has taught me that the most valuable thing is to listen, says Rose Thomson
17 2019
Getting closer to our goal of more research into personality disorder & autism
In 2019, our partners Words that Carry On, will realise their ambition to commission research that will improve the lives of people with personality disorder and autism
11 2019
We need research into Relationship OCD so that it doesn’t ruin relationships
University student Rhianna shares her experiences of Relationship Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and why she is grateful she found a therapist who was already familiar with it
17 2018
Why do the Top 10 priorities for young people’s mental health need answering?
by Jessica Bond
We revealed the Top 10 questions for young people's mental health research at the end of November. Since then, staff and members of our Young People’s Advisory Group have been reflecting on the importance of the questions. Here are a few edited extracts
Children, young people and families
Read More13 2018
Not Quite Right, a play about the NHS, hits the right buttons
Audience participation helped explore how things could have been handled better, says Gary Coyle, who advised on script development
7 2018
Capturing the life stories of people living with psychosis
Researcher Gary Coyle explores alternative approaches in research that prioritises the personal stories, memories and broader life experiences of people living with psychosis.
6 2018
Let’s break the taboo and find out what helps young people on waiting lists
There is plenty of research on waiting lists, proving they are long and variable. What has been neglected is how people with mental health difficulties can be supported while they wait. This needs to change, says Thomas Kabir
Children, young people and families
Read More4 2018
No more shiny things: Digital mental health priorities show e-health has grown up
Head of Research and Evaluation, Dan Robotham, reflects on what the Top 10 priorities for digital technology and mental health tell us about how we can use technology to address real (and timeless) areas of concern
3 2018
Universities need to find ways to prevent students reaching crisis point
Student mental health is in the spotlight and many universities have publicly stated that they are taking it seriously. That isn’t always how it feels on the ground, says Lucy Power, a first-year English Literature student
Children, young people and families
Read More30 2018
Therapy without the therapist: what role should self-help play?
Exercise, meditation and self-help books: A self-directed approach to mental health won’t work for everyone but as Rachel Temple explains, she gained most of her tools from books. She explains why researching which self-management approaches are the most effective is vital
Children, young people and families
Read More28 2018
Why we shouldn’t be scared to talk about how parents impact children’s mental health
The Right People, Right Questions project revealed a lack of research investigating the impact of parental attitudes, parenting styles and family relationships on young people's mental health. McPin's research director and mum of two girls, Vanessa Pinfold, reflects on why this needs to change
Children, young people and families
Read More13 2018
Involvement on the curriculum
I was incredulous. How could we allow a master’s student to complete an entire module on global mental health assuming “involvement in research” meant “involvement as a subject of research”? This wasn’t a failure by the student; it was our failure as educators.
9 2018
What is Eco-Anxiety and what can we do about it?
We all know what climate change is and the effects it’s having on the planet. But what about the effects it’s having on our mental health?
Having concerns about the environment is perfectly natural and it is never a bad thing to be more aware of your surroundings and the impact we are having.
Read More25 2018
Five year forward view – a backwards step at a mental health conference.
By Vanessa Pinfold
I recently attended a mental health conference, reflecting on talks delivered by national policy leaders, voluntary sector providers and others exploring progress on delivering the five year forward view for mental health. NHS England, Public Health England, Department of Health, NHS mental health provider’s forum, charities were all represented.
Read More24 2018
Exercise and mental health
We know that exercise is good for mental health… so why aren’t we doing it? This blog from our Public Involvement Officer and Researcher, Rachel explores why people might not be utilising the power of exercise to maintain and improve our mental health and wellbeing.
12 2018
Poacher turned gamekeeper
By Dr Sam Robertson
Initially, I suffered severe post-natal depression after the birth of my son. This ended my career as a teacher and started a period of nearly twenty years as a service user of mental health services. However, being encouraged to get involved in service user and carer activities helped me back into the world. From a very a small and slow start, service user involvement has supported me in so many ways including helping to rebuild my confidence and to develop a more positive identity. It has been part of my individual recovery journey – has given me a sense of purpose. It has contributed to what I do now as someone who has something to offer.
4 2018
Co-production in Research: Barriers and Solutions
By Vanessa Pinfold
Here at the McPin Foundation, we are pleased to support the third year of the Social Care Institute for Excellence’ (SCIE) co-production week and its focus on learning. This year has seen the introduction of co-production in research principles from INVOLVE.
Read More11 2018
Maternal mental health peer support
by Andreja Mesaric
The NHS has recently announced it will be committing an extra £1.6million to help mothers with mental health issues during or after pregnancy. With maternal mental health problems affecting up to a fifth of all women, research has shown that peer support can help mums receive the emotional and practical support needed during this time.
Read More30 2018
Macmillan Peer Evaluator Training
by Jennie Parker
Brighton September – October 2017 and May 2018
Co-design and co-delivery are part of the ethos of the McPin Foundation. We have just completed our second successful three-day training for Peer Evaluators with Macmillan cancer support. Running the training a second time gave us the freedom to improve and develop materials and content from the first time around.
Read More23 2018
Object-based storytelling can help start a conversation about mental health
by Kat Berry
Kat Berry
Object-based storytelling can help start a conversation about mental health. A pop-up exhibition by the Soul Relics Museum during Mental Health Awareness week aimed to do just that using photographs of a wide range of objects that have held special significance to their owners during times of distress.
Read More15 2018
Interviewing Peter Fonagy
by Humma Andleeb
A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to interview Peter Fonagy as part of the #LetsTalkMentalHealth series by Louise Arseneault. Peter is a renowned clinical psychologist specialising in early attachment disorder and borderline personality disorder and CEO of the Anna Freud centre.
Read More11 2018
Mental Health Awareness Week 2018: are awareness dates useful for mental health?
by Tillie Cryer
Stress is a normal bodily response, but is usually considered a negative feeling. Stress is a major factor in survival and is an important part of the ‘flight or fight response’, which makes us react to dangerous situations such as moving out of the way of a reversing car.
Read More27 2018
Soul Relics Museum
by Vanessa Yim
The Soul Relics Museum project will be having a pop-up exhibitions in the SGDP for a month from 16th April – 20th May 2018
The Soul Relics Museum collects photographs of objects which relate to a time of personal struggle with mental wellbeing.
Read More4 2018
Words That Carry On: Lindsay’s Fund
by Vanessa Pinfold
On Saturday afternoon (24/3/2018) I went by bus across London to the memorial service of an amazing person I had never met, but wish I had. Lindsay Riddoch, who died on the eve of her 25th Birthday – late December 2017 – when she ended her life and her battle with mental health issues.
20 2018
When two cultures collide: The reality of being British Asian
by Humma Andleeb
Disclaimer: this blog post is an exploration of mental health issues within the south Asian community, and is not intended to disregard the positives of being British Asian.
Racial discrimination is an issue that manifests in multiple ways and affects most people of BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) background.
12 2018
Psychosis and the Mortality Gap
by Vanessa Pinfold
Did you know that people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar or psychosis have a life expectancy lower than twenty years compared to the general population? This is a shocking statistic and more needs to be done to support the physical health needs of this group of people.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More15 2018
Social Anxiety: More than Shyness
by Rachel Temple
Before Christmas, Radio presenter Iain Lee discussed his experiences of mental health difficulties on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here. In particular, he talked about how living with social anxiety affects his daily interactions, especially in groups of people.
Read More8 2018
Developing peer support in the community: A toolkit
by Alison Faulkner
We have a new toolkit to use, launched in early December by Mind based upon work carried out by an evaluation team I know well at the McPin Foundation and St George’s, University of London. They had spent 2 years evaluating the Side by Side community peer support programme initiated by Mind and funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
15 2017
Our Yearly Round Up
McPin will be marking its 5 year anniversary in our current form. Before this the charity had no members of staff. It was essentially a grant making charity. The most important aspect of our work is working alongside people with mental health problems as colleagues, advisors and friends of the charity.
Read More15 2017
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Insomnia
by Dan Robotham
A good night’s sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle. Several years ago, I was involved in writing a report for Mental Health Awareness Week, based on findings from the Great British Sleep Survey. The report argued that insomnia and poor sleep were public health concerns.
Read More7 2017
A framework for mental health research – what next?
by Vanessa Pinfold
We have been involved over the past 18 months in the development of a 10 year strategy for mental health research in the UK. Developing such a strategy was one of the recommendations in the 2016 Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report.
4 2017
INVOLVE at 21
by John Gibson | Thomas Kabir | Vanessa Pinfold
Last week we attended a public involvement conference organised by INVOLVE. INVOLVE was originally set up by the Department of Health in 1996. It remains one of the oldest Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) organisations in the world. We had a stand promoting our own work championing expertise from experience in mental health research.
6 2017
Bipolar research – working together to decide which outcomes matter.
When researchers are developing a study that involves a trial in order to compare treatment A to treatment B, they need to decide on what outcomes to measure. Often this is through a series of questionnaires with research participants and sometimes through tests like measuring weight, blood tests or saliva samples.
1 2017
Managing stress: It’s personal
by Amy Peabody
Today is International Stress Awareness Day, I thought I’d share my personal ways of coping with stress and highlight while there are underlying themes to some of these coping techniques, the exact measure we employ are likely to be personal to our own preferences.
25 2017
Friends in Europe: A mental health conference with a difference
by Vanessa Pinfold
A warm welcome awaited me when I arrived at the European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation (more commonly referred to as ENMESH) recently. ENMESH develops and maintains a network of active researchers in mental health service research in Europe. I met service users and carers, junior researchers, professors and international policy experts.
Read More16 2017
Sweating it out for mental health research
Kat Berry, Operations Manager at the McPin Foundation talks to us about her 30 DAY hot yoga challenge and why she’s raising money for mental health research.
Where did the idea to do hot yoga for 30 days come from?
I’ve always wanted to do the 30 day challenge but I have always found an excuse not to – either the time commitment or just the fear of knowing how tough it was going to be held me back.
Read More10 2017
Workplace wellbeing: a no-brainer?
by Raj Hazzard
Taking steps to enhance wellbeing in the workplace seems like a no-brainer. It can improve productivity, create happy teams and generally make Monday mornings feel worth getting out of bed for. If you are contending with mental health problems, it can make finding your workplace ‘zen’ even more pressing yet, unfortunately, harder to achieve.
5 2017
Another step forward – Research into wellbeing networks
by Vanessa Pinfold
The places we go, the things we like to do and the people we know all play an important contribution to our wellbeing. Yet, this is not a key focus of current clinical mental health interventions. We are hoping our research will change this.
Read More27 2017
Are Coercion and Co-Production Compatible?
by Harminder Kaur
I was fortunate to attend a very stimulating seminar entitled ‘Co-production in Coercive Environments’ on 6th July 2017 at the University of Huddersfield. The key question for the seminar was the possibility, or impossibility, of co-production in the conditions of detention under the Mental Health Act (MHA).
25 2017
Refugee and migrant inclusion in community mental health project evaluation
by Andreja Mesaric
Refugees and migrants experience poorer mental health outcomes compared to native-born populations. This can be due to traumatic experiences of persecution or dangerous journeys to the UK as well as stresses of adapting to a new environment including social isolation, language barriers, and various forms of discrimination.
7 2017
Being a part of the Right People, Right Questions ‘Young People’s Advisory Group’.
by Lucy Power
Before becoming involved in any of the McPin Foundation’s work, I had originally held a position on the NHS Hertfordshire Young Peoples Mental Health Council. I was actively involved in a process which enabled those at the “bottom” (the service user or carer) unlike those in top positions (the clinician and institutional researcher) to have a voice in transforming the way we treat and understand young people’s mental health.
Read More7 2017
Social media: The next big thing in research?
by Nhung
With the boom of social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, the use of social media in research has received much attention in recent years. As some of our keen-eyed followers may have noticed, we’ve been using social media to spread the word about a survey as part of the Right People, Right Questions project.
Read More30 2017
Everyone’s business: research councils unite on mental health
by Dan Robotham
Last week, the UK research councils published their agenda for working in partnership on mental health research. For me, it is interesting to see how mental health has united all seven research councils, not just the traditional “key players” like the Medical Research Council (MRC, who have their own mental health research strategy) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
17 2017
Men’s mental health: Research into online stress support for men
by Daryl Sweet
Research consistently finds that men are less likely than women to reach out for support for their mental health, or even recognise it as a problem. In June 2016, The Men’s Health Forum created ‘Beat Stress Online’ to offer an anonymous and confidential chat support and signposting service for men experiencing difficulties with mental health such as stress, anger and depression.
Read More2 2017
Evaluating the Side by Side peer support programme
by Rose Thompson
Over the last 2 years the McPin foundation has been working with St Georges University of London and the London School of Economics to evaluate the Side by Side programme of peer support. Funded by the Big Lottery and delivered by a collaboration between Mind, Bipolar UK and a number of smaller organisations, it aimed to make peer support available to people across nine regions in England.
2 2017
Finding the right people to ask the right questions: new survey on young people’s mental health
by Thomas Kabir
What do we really know about young people’s mental health? We know it’s a big issue. Around 1 in 10 young people have experienced a mental health difficulty. Around 75% of people with a mental health problem start developing it before the age of 181.
Children, young people and families
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More2 2017
Research in the News
by Ian Bradshaw
When we wrote our last ‘Research in the News’ update in early April the General Election was not even in prospect. It’s fair to say that there has been a lot of news since. The jury is still out on the impact it will have on mental health research.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More27 2017
RideLondon 2018 – ride for Mental Health research!
Are you up for a challenge? Do you want to raise money for life-saving mental health research? McPin has places for RideLondon 2018 and we would love for you to join our team. Over the last three years our riders have raised thousands of pounds to support life-saving mental health research, and had great fun doing it.
18 2017
“Good Work” and good mental health
by Ian Bradshaw
Our jobs are central to many of our lives. They provide us with money; but also social interaction, an identity, a sense of worth or value. It is not surprising that our work and our mental health are often inter-connected. Generally unemployment is bad for your mental health.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More13 2017
“The question is not if patients should be remunerated, but how”
by Dan Robotham
This recent BMJ blog explores the topic of paying patients to advise on health research, policy and service design. I was surprised to discover that there was still a debate about whether to pay patients or not!
The question of whether to pay people who bring ‘expertise from experience’ to research is nothing new.
Read More30 2017
Why I’m doing Ride London to support Mental Health Research
by Ian Bradshaw
Our policy manager Ian writes about why he is doing RideLondon, and the special challenges of doing it whilst in recovery from anorexia.
‘You are MAD…’
That was my Mum’s response to the news that I am doing RideLondon 100 mile bike ride at the end of July.
Read More25 2017
Using Lived Experience in Evaluating Mental Health Peer Support
by Andreja Mesaric | Julie Billsborough | Raj Hazzard | Richard Currie | Sarah Gibson
This essay was originally published as the afterword to the early research findings of the evaluation of the Side by Side programme. In it the researchers who used their lived experience of mental health problems and peer support whilst working on the evaluation reflect on how including that expertise from experience strengthened the research.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More19 2017
Manifesto Commitments To Mental Health Research Are Great – Action Will Be Even Better.
by Ian Bradshaw
We have reached the stage of the General Election were the main parties have published their manifestos and charities check whether their issues have made the cut. When the election was called we worked with the Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders to send a joint letter to all the parties setting out the case for including mental health research in their manifestos (read it here).
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More10 2017
Thriving or surviving? Our work on personal wellbeing network mapping to help people thrive #MHAW17
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme ‘Thriving or Surviving?’ is a reminder that good mental health and wellbeing is about more than the absence of a mental health problem, but the opportunity to live a full and meaningful life. This means more than simply ‘getting by’, or managing symptoms of mental distress, but supporting people to thrive and flourish – develop positive resources for mental health such as resilience, social support, and a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.
Read More12 2017
Our Evaluation News
Over the last few weeks we’ve been giving our website a bit of a spring clean. As part of that we’ve added a new page showcasing the work we do for partner organisations including our work on evaluations. This is a growing part of what we do, helping other organisations to understand what impact their work is having and how it can be improved.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More7 2017
Depression: Let’s Talk (About How We Talk About It)
by Ian Bradshaw
Today (7 April) is World Health Day, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). They have picked the theme of “Depression: Let’s Talk”.
It would be easy to be cynical. Yet another campaign about talking about mental health. Between Time to Talk Day and the new HeadsTogether campaign it feels like we are not short of people urging us to open up about our mental wellbeing.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More5 2017
The glass ceiling of Patient and Public Involvement
by Dan Robotham
In his first blog for us our new Head of Research and Evaluation Dan Robotham explains one of the reasons he decided to join McPin.
Health and social care research has a good public image. Polls suggest that university-based researchers are trusted by up to 90% of the public (Ispos Mori, 2014).
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More23 2017
Why we should include everyone and everywhere in mental health research
by Ian Bradshaw
Our new policy briefing Everywhere and Everyone Included? describes the wide disparities in the research activity of NHS mental health trusts in England. This is despite the government’s commitments to create a “culture of innovation and research that is embedded at every level” of the NHS, with a “workforce that embraces research and innovation”.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More16 2017
“Yes, and” – mental health research funding needs both better evidence and better public and patient involvement
by Ian Bradshaw
Ian examines a call for a new ’empirical’ approach to mental health research funding, and finds that the voice of people affected by mental health problems seems to be missing.
The Lancet Psychiatry published a comment piece last week arguing that in a ‘post-truth era’ mental health research funders should adopt a more ‘empirical’ approach to their work [requires registration].
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More9 2017
Run for McPin in Vitality London 2017
The McPin Foundation is looking for runners to take part in Vitality London 10k, to raise money for life-saving mental health research. The event takes places on 29th May 2017, and we would love for you to join us!
Read More13 2017
Thrive Employment Survey
Thrive London is a citywide movement for mental health supported by the Mayor of London, the London Health Board, and the Greater London Authority. They want to find out how to better support people with their mental health at work, and also how to help people with mental health problems find work.9 2017
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s speech on Mental Health
by Ian Bradshaw
Today’s speech by the Prime Minister on mental health is important, but delivering her promises will need a new commitment to evidence and research.
My conclusion on mental health policy in 2016 was that we should see it as a glass half full.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More6 2017
Lived experiences in research – opportunities and problems
by Ruth Sayers
The roles of a therapist and a research interviewer have different goals, but both involve personal conversations. And both challenge us to think about how we use our lived experience to facilitate a conversation, how it may affect what is said to us and how we interpret that
The researcher is often described as having power in an interview situation – she sets the agenda and guides the conversation, and may be perceived as having a more powerful status than the interviewee.
Read More4 2017
Expertise from Experience in Peer Review – Dolly’s Experience
by Dolly Sen
Earlier in the year MHRUK asked for our help in reviewing applications for three PhD Studentships. They wanted to strengthen the peer review process by including reviewers who could contribute their expertise from experience. We asked Gary, Dolly and Ryan to reflect on their experience of acting as reviewers, and we publish their blogs here.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More4 2017
Expertise from Experience in Peer Review – Gary’s experience
by Gary Coyle
Earlier in the year MHRUK asked for our help in reviewing applications for three PhD Studentships. They wanted to strengthen the peer review process by including reviewers who could contribute their expertise from experience. We asked Gary, Dolly and Ryan to reflect on their experience of acting as reviewers, and we publish their blogs here.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More16 2016
Research in 2016
by Agnes Hann | Johanna Frerichs
To mark the end of 2016, we’re taking a look back at some of what the McPin team has learned over the past year.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More4 2017
Expertise from Experience in Peer Review – Ryan’s Experience
by Ryan Freeman
Earlier in the year MHRUK asked for our help in reviewing applications for three PhD Studentships. They wanted to strengthen the peer review process by including reviewers who could contribute their expertise from experience. We asked Gary, Dolly and Ryan to reflect on their experience of acting as reviewers, and we publish their blogs here.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More16 2016
Mental health policy and research in 2016 – a glass half full?
by Ian Bradshaw
At McPin we know that research and evidence are vital to improving the lives of people affected by mental health problems. But research does not take place in a vacuum. Decisions about what questions are seen as relevant, and what research (and how much) is funded are driven by people and how they respond to events in the outside world such as Brexit.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More16 2016
Reflections on Patient and Public involvement (PPI) at McPin in 2016
by Thomas Kabir
This year has seen the expansion of our mental health science theme of work. We have engaged with scientists developing new treatments and testing them in research studies. Are these treatments that patients want? What are the ethical considerations of developing the treatment?
16 2016
McPin Methods
by Ian Bradshaw
The 30th of November saw the first of what we will hope will be a series of methods workshops. It brought together over 70 researchers to discuss how to integrate ‘lived experience expertise in mental health research teams’. The event was massively oversubscribed and if the fact that we had to cut short discussions before we were physically kicked out of the venue is any guide, it succeeded in its aim of stimulating debate and the sharing of ideas.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More2 2016
Power, Capital & Control: Co-production in research
by Richard Currie
The subject of power and control within the field of social research has long held a fascination for me. Professionally as a social researcher; as a participant in social research; and finally as disability rights activist for the past 10 years.
Read More2 2016
Using lived experience as a researcher can be “both a blessing and a curse”
by Richard Currie | Rose Thompson
Richard Currie is a researcher who is working with McPin on a number of projects that make use of both his research skills and his expertise from experience. In this brief video produced for our PPI in research week he talks with Rose about how he does this.
Read More2 2016
Who is a peer anyway?
by Raj Hazzard
In this blog a Lived Experience researcher reflects on the nature of the ‘peer’ in peer research. It is the latest in a series of personal reflections by McPin researchers on the use of lived experience of mental health problems in research published as part of our week on Patient and Public Involvement in Research.
Read More1 2016
Public and patient involvement in research. Why not?
by Thomas Kabir
Thomas Kabir introduces the latest in our series of Talking Point papers: ‘Public Involvement in Research, Why Not’? by Kirsten Morgan. Our occasional series of Talking Point papers encourage people to consider key issues in mental health research, and provides a platform for their personal views.
Read More1 2016
First thoughts from the first #McPinMethods Workshop
by Ian Bradshaw
Yesterday afternoon saw the first of our methods workshops on ‘integrating lived experience expertise in mental health research teams’. The event was massively oversubscribed. If the fact that we had to cut short discussions before we were physically kicked out of the venue is any guide it succeeded in its aim of stimulating debate and the sharing of ideas.
Read More28 2016
Who are the ‘experts by experience’ in mental health research?
by Laura Hemming
Before Laura left the McPin Foundation in the summer 2016 to begin a PhD she wrote this blog exploring some of the issues about how we use our lived experience of mental health problems as researchers, and the labels we use as an organisation.
Read More28 2016
What do we mean by patient and public involvement in research?
by Vanessa Pinfold
Our charity is on a mission to improve the mental health of communities everywhere – through research. We obviously can’t do this alone, and thus collaborate with many others who share our goals. In the last three years, since we established our staffed research unit, we have seen some progress with the value and role of research being given greater prominence.
Read More18 2016
Mental Health and Bullying – do we need to help teachers help children who are bullied?
by Tilda Simpson
This week (14th-20th of November) is anti-bullying week. Bullying has an undeniable and immediate impact on young people’s mental health. But we also need to think about how we equip teachers not just to help children who are bullied immediately, but to also reduce the long-term impact on their mental health.
Children, young people and families
Read More11 2016
Is Scouting really the answer to mental wellbeing?
by Ian Bradshaw
As a former Scout (and Cub Scout) with a history of mental health problems my eye was naturally drawn to the headlines declaring that ‘Scouts and Guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’. Yet again I am the exception to the rule!
Read More10 2016
Tackling stigma and discrimination on World Mental Health Day: What we now Know. What Next?
by Sarah Hamilton
People continued to be discriminated against by the very systems that are supposed to support them. Within health services, welfare and housing, people reported no improvement or even more discrimination than they did in 2008.
Today (10 October) is World Mental Health Day.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More30 2016
Long term impacts of medication for Bipolar
by Megan Rees
Medication side effects are a burning issue for many service users and carers. Yet research to date has failed to accurately reflect the prevalence of the adverse events and effects resulting from long term psychiatric medication use. This is a particularly urgent issue for people diagnosed with Bipolar, as influential guidelines on its management, including those of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Association for Psychopharmacology, advocate the long term use of medications.
30 2016
Influencing the debate – peer research in academic journals
by Sarah Hamilton
A new special edition reporting findings from the Viewpoint survey was published in July. It includes a paper on our qualitative research into mental health discrimination experiences which was co-authored with four peer researchers. We reflect on the importance of experts by experience being named as authors, and why they are so often absent from peer reviewed journal articles.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More30 2016
The Inflamed Mind
by Thomas Kabir
There is a growing amount of evidence that some mental health problems may be due in part to the brain becoming ‘inflamed’. In August BBC Radio 4 broadcast a programme about this titled ‘The inflamed Mind’. You can listen to the programme by clicking here.
30 2016
Ride London – Evan’s blog
by Evan Champion
McPin Rider 2016
When I feel the black dog sniffing around I’ve learned to hit the gym. I suppose I’ve always dealt with depression, though generally it’s nothing too serious. I went through one period of doing every intensive aerobic session I could find at the YMCA in Montreal.
Read More14 2016
New Investment in NHS Research Infrastructure shows Mental Health research is gaining traction
by Ian Bradshaw
On Wednesday the Government announced the next five years of funding for NIHR’s 20 Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs). These are collaborations between universities and NHS trusts that provide facilities and support for medical research, and in particular experimental medicine. What is exciting is the prominence that Mental Health is now getting.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More1 2016
Involvement in Research on Loneliness
by Anjie Chhapia | Jackie Hardy
Reducing loneliness – how do you do that then? Hopefully through recruiting the right Community Navigators! Here we reflect on how involving experts by experience in a recruitment exercise can add value and hopefully contribute to a successful research study.
Improving mental health support
Read More19 2016
Sad but inspiring: In memory of Donald Campbell
by Vanessa Pinfold
Monday morning and I was on my way to work catching up with the news and social media. I had missed an excellent piece in the Sunday Times by Alistair Campbell about his brother Donald who died recently aged 62. Luckily it is available as a blog. Reading, I was immediately absorbed. That’s the power of the personal narrative. I also felt very, very sad. Another person dying far too early after years of treatment for schizophrenia.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More15 2016
Taking a challenge – cycling for research into suicide
by Vanessa Pinfold
On Sunday 31st July I got up very early – 4.45am – and cycled to the train station to start my Ride London-Surrey Prudential challenge. Getting to the start line was quite an effort as I live in West London and it started in Stratford over to the east.
1 2016
Drawing up Research Priorities – different perspectives
by Ian Bradshaw
One of the most significant aspects of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health was the Department of Health’s commitment to develop a ten year strategy for mental health research. We at McPin are now working with the Department on the process for drawing up the strategy.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More25 2016
Getting our Report Card – asking people what they think of you and acting on their responses, the Your Experience in Mind Survey
by Madeleine Musgrove
Research and Evaluation Officer, Mind
Mind have been worki
ng together with the McPin Foundation since 2014 to evaluate the experience of people using our federated local Minds through the annual ‘Your Experience in Mind’ survey. We have 146 local Minds across England and Wales providing over 50 different types of service.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Improving mental health support
Read More13 2016
Implementing an online mental health toolkit for relatives– reflections from our first data day!
by Vanessa Pinfold
There is an increased focus and interest in how to implement innovations into health care settings. And there should be! Call it improvement science or knowledge transfer or implementation – this area of work is how information developed through research studies or service improvement programmes can be used to achieve practical change.
Improving mental health support
Read More30 2016
Why did I take on the work with the McPin Foundation?
by Gary Coyle
In March this year I took on an exciting opportunity: working with The McPin Foundation as a Peer Project Assistant on a pilot scheme entitled ‘My Story, Our Future’. We will be exploring the stories of people who have themselves used or supported others accessing Early Intervention for Psychosis (EIP) services.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More30 2016
Pregnancy and medication choices: new research published
by Harminder Kaur
Many women with severe mental illness take psychotropic medication. This can put them in a difficult situation if they become pregnant, or wish to become pregnant, as there are concerns about the possible effects of these medications on unborn children. Until now there has been a lack of evidence about the risks to the unborn child, putting the women and their healthcare professionals in a quandary.
Children, young people and families
Read More30 2016
Virtual Reality Helps Beat Paranoia
by Thomas Kabir
‘Paranoia’. It’s one of those words that retain their stigma despite all the good work of campaigns such as Time to Change. A reason for this might be the way that the word is used so much in everyday life. The term your paranoid can be used as a response to so many statements.
28 2016
Brexit and Mental Health Research: making the best of uncertain times
by Ian Bradshaw
As we recover from Thursday’s referendum our thoughts at McPin have started to turn towards what it means for our mission to transform mental health research. As we enter a period of uncertainty it is easy to be downhearted. But it is also an opportunity to think again about how we make the case for research at a time when it is going to be needed more than ever.
Mental Health Policy & Strategy
Read More9 2016
Peer Research and Complex Needs: A Mental Health Perspective
by Agnes Hann
Read a new blog about how research on people with complex needs are using an approach that we champion at the McPin Foundation – peer research. Written by Agnes, a senior researcher in our team, it looks at some of the challenges and benefits of peer involvement in research. It was written for Revolving Doors, a charity that supports people with complex needs including mental health issues. We are really proud to support their work exploring the role of peer - otherwise known as experts by experience - contribution to research.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More14 2016
What does the research tell us about how you talk about and beat stress? #MHW2016
by Daryl Sweet
‘How do you beat stress’? was the question for Men’s Health Week which ran 13th to 17th June 2016. How do men talk about stress? How do men manage it rather than let it build up and harm us? Read Daryl's blog on the role of research in answering this question. We link this to some of our work at McPin and we are keen to hear your views on how research can play a role in creating mentally healthier communities ....
Read More13 2016
Relationships for Mental Health
by Johanna Frerichs
At the McPin Foundation, we’re gearing up for Mental Health Awareness Week, which provides an opportunity to join together to promote the importance of wellbeing and mental health for everyone, young or old. Mental Health Awareness Week 2016 takes place between 16th and 22nd May and the theme is ‘relationships’, because of the massive influence they have on our health and wellbeing. This connects with a number of projects that we are involved in at McPin, which sit under our theme of 'Wellbeing and Connectedness'. You can find out more by clicking here.
Read More31 2016
My Marathon Story
by Helen Casebourne
Last year, on a cold, grey, drizzly day I found myself with thousands of other people on the start line for the London Marathon. I was suffering with a horrid cold, the last thing I felt like doing was going for a run, never mind one which would take me on a 26.2 mile route from Blackheath to Buckingham Palace.
31 2016
Mental Health and Support into Employment: Is it Working?
by Susanne Gibson
As the recent report from the Mental Health Taskforce points out, only 43% of people with mental health problems are in work, compared with 65% of people with other health conditions, and 74% of people in the general population. The figures are far lower for people with severe mental illness – for example, the employment rate for people with schizophrenia is around 8%.
Improving mental health support
Read More31 2016
Improving the quality of participant information sheets
by Vanessa Pinfold
Researchers at Kings College London have just produced an interesting paper, published Feb 2016. It is available online, and can be easily accessed. It looks at the ease of reading participant information sheets over a 10 year period – June 2003 to October 2013.
10 2015
Children and young people’s mental health – we all have a part to play
by Kirsten Morgan
In recent months, the mental health of children and young people has hit the headlines. It is well established that most mental health problems begin during adolescence, with 1 in 10 young people (aged 11-16) thought to experience a diagnosable mental health problem.
Children, young people and families
Read More1 2015
Is collecting participant support preferences in interviews with vulnerable people helpful?
by Vanessa Pinfold
Recently, we decided to take an audit across three separate projects to see how participants responded to our questions about their preferences for support. We decided to present what they told us as an infographic. 
We would love for you to tell us what you think of this approach – do you think that asking participants for their support preferences as part of the research recruitment process is helpful? Do you have any concerns ? Let us know your thoughts.
21 2015
#RCTDebate – what did we learn?
by Vanessa Pinfold
Our first ever public event was held on 8th October 2015 at the Jerwood Space. This was a chance to bring people with different expertise together to consider the role of the RCT (Randomised Control Trial) in mental health research design. It was also the launch of our Talking Point series of papers – a group of papers written by survivor / service user researchers on under discussed topics. Our launched paper by Alison Faulkner has a title that speaks for itself: “RCTs: the straitjacket of mental health research?
Read More8 2015
Talking Point: RCTs- the straitjacket of mental health research?
by McPin Foundation
We had our first public event and the launch of our Talking Point series on Thursday 8th October 2015 at Jerwood Space in Southwark. We looked at the role of the Randomised Control Trials in mental health research with the help of Professor Sonia Johnson from University College London and Dr Steve Gillard from St George's University of London. Alison Faulkner, survivor researcher and trainer provided an overview of her Talking Point paper and we hosted a discussion. We also had a live twitter discussion during the event: #RCTDebate.
Read More30 2015
Reflecting on our mission to #transformMHresearch
by McPin Foundation
Just recently, the McPin Foundation have been reflecting on our mission to "transform mental health research". We have been busy in the past year as our info graphic shows: McPin Foundation 2014 2015. We seek to build a community who share our mission to #transformMHresearch - and to do that we need to develop conversations on our twitter feed @mcpinfoundation on facebook, at events, in blogs, at conferences and in person. Please do join the conversation!
Read More30 2015
Mental health research priorities for Europe
by Vanessa Pinfold
There seems to be a lot of conversations at the moment about priorities for mental health research. What should funders fund to improve the lives of individuals and communities with regard to mental health? Where are the promising breakthroughs? How can we gain parity for mental health research funding alongside other health areas?
30 2015
Marking world suicide prevention day
by Karen James
On the 10th September 2015, across the globe, people came together to mark the 13th annual World Suicide Prevention Day. This saw reports of candlelight vigils in the UK, flash-mobs in India, the release of balloons across America, and in Ireland, famous landmarks were lit up in orange.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More5 2015
Genetic link to depression discovered?
by Thomas Kabir
Genetic link to depression discovered? A consortium of researchers from Oxford and China has discovered two specific regions of DNA that have been linked to depression. These findings were published in Nature in July this year. The results are some of the strongest evidence yet that genetics do indeed have some part to play in depression. Our Public Involvement in Research Manager, Thomas Kabir shares his thoughts on this exciting research in our latest blog.
Read More3 2015
Reflections from working on an evaluation project: Your Experience in Mind
by Julie Billsborough
We are keen to look at new ways of involving mental health service users and carers in research. Part of our commitment to developing new approaches has been to investigate the things that have worked well and not so well about the methods we have tried in our own research and evaluation studies. We will publish a series of methods papers describing our work. Our first methods paper describes the 'Survey Champion' approach used in an evaluation of Local Minds.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Improving mental health support
Read More25 2015
Research in the News – Mindfulness for the masses?
by Agnes Hann
Over the past couple of months, mindfulness has been making headlines again. This is partly due to a new study, published in the Lancet that suggests that the practice is ‘as effective as pills for treating recurrent depression’.
It is fair to say that for some years now, there has been a lot of hype surrounding mindfulness – a type of therapy that draws on aspects of ancient Buddhist practices and is aimed at ‘increasing people’s awareness of themselves, their emotions and the environment around them, through meditation, yoga and breathing’.
Read More25 2015
Right Here Right Now: The CQC on the state of crisis care
by Susanne Gibson
The Crisis Care Concordat was launched in February 2014 with the aim of improving the quality and availability of help and support for people experiencing a mental health crisis; support before reaching crisis point, urgent access to safe, respectful and effective care in an emergency, and support for recovery and the prevention of future crises.
Improving mental health support
Read More25 2015
A new area of work for the McPin Foundation – mental health sciences
by Thomas Kabir
“Thomas – you need to look at a protein structure from lots of different points of view to understand how it works”. This was some of the most valuable advice I ever got when I was doing my PhD. I was studying how proteins stick to one another to form complexes at UCL in London.
1 2015
Reflections from 10 years of service user and survivor research event
by McPin Foundation
On Monday (1st June, 2015), St George's University of London celebrated 10 years of doing service user and survivor research with a fantastic day of discussions attended by many inspirational leaders in mental health research, from a lived experience perspective. Three of us from the McPin Foundation attended. In one of the sessions, Sarah Carr, Peter Beresford, Diana Rose and Jayasaree Kalathil reflected on the place of collaborative and survivor research in Universities. Is it safe in universities?
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More30 2015
Reflections from my research placement
by Katrina Heyman
A
s a mental health student nurse, evidence based practice is a term that is regularly thrown about. But what does evidence based practice mean? It means that all the essential components of a nurse’s knowledge and skills, in providing excellent health care, is based on information emerging from the best available evidence- evidence which stems from research.
24 2015
#mymadidea from West London Collaborative
by McPin Foundation
I attended a very interesting event at Chelsea Football Club on 21st May organised by the West London Collaborative – a new, independent organisation that is working with West London Mental Health NHS Trust to enable service users, carers and staff to work together in equal partnership to design, deliver and evaluate services following co-production as a way of working.
13 2015
Research into practice – reflections from a primary care event
by Vanessa Pinfold
Today we attended a learning and development event for primary care practitioners - GPs, practice nurses, information specialists in London. The opening session particularly addressed local practitioners about current changes in mental health - both local and national agendas including how funding is allocated and services join up. With the new mental health task force working away to create a 5 year forward view of the future it will be interesting to see how issues raised in local meetings can find their way to the task force because crucial concerns are being raised particularly about collaborative provision of solutions for people with mental health problems. How to remove the barriers between teams or system elements so that better care is provided? Can research help with some answers? I hope so. The importance of research linked to practice was mentioned several times.
Read More26 2015
Involvement in research and trials: the participants’ perspective
by Ben Gray
A crucial factor in making a piece of research successful or not is participant engagement. Do people want to take part and can you keep them engaged for follow-up if that is required? But very little research has been carried out of participant experiences of what’s involved in “taking part in research” and why people do.
Read More12 2015
Young People Rethinking Mental Health Conference
by Naomi Clewett
A few of us from McPin attended the Young People ReThinking Mental Health event last week run by the Clinical Research Network: Mental Health. It was a really engaging event showcasing how young people can be involved in mental health research as active advisors and shapers of that research, rather than merely as participants. Read Naomi's blog about the event.
Children, young people and families
Read More25 2014
The genetics of schizophrenia
by Thomas Kabir
To say that schizophrenia is a controversial diagnosis would be putting it mildly. Almost everything relating to schizophrenia has been contested, often ferociously. Putting that to one side, there is a lot of research into schizophrenia particularly to understand causation and treatments.
25 2014
Understanding psychosis and schizophrenia – new report from the British Psychology Society
by Vanessa Pinfold
The end of November saw the launch of a new report by the, British Psychology Society (BPS) with the aim of challenging stereotypes of schizophrenia and psychosis. This is 14 years on from the publication of the first edition “Recent Advances in Understanding Mental Illness and Psychotic Experiences” which was a really useful overview emphasising the contribution of a psychological perspective to making sense of ‘serious mental illness’.
13 2014
Suicide happens. We need to talk about it. And we need to research it.
by Amy Meadows
Robin Williams death is a tragedy. He was undoubtedly a comic genius who has brought so much laughter and joy to millions of people around the world in his memorable (and at times immortal) roles. So many of his films and prophetic musings have been powerful way markers for my childhood and early adulthood.
Read More29 2014
Personalisation and mental health – new research report launched
by McPin Foundation
A research project commissioned by Mind, the mental health charity has just reported its findings. It was carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) as part of a programme of work on personalisation in mental health funded by the Department of Health.
Read More14 2014
Mental health intelligence network
by Julie Billsborough
I attended the launch of the Public Health England pilot website a few weeks back – the National Mental Health, Dementia and Neurology networks. I found the event interesting, partly because I was involved in the PHE consultation report to gather people’s views on the design and accessibility of the site, but also because I am keen to use this tool myself to campaign for change in my locality.
Read More27 2014
Ups and Downs
by Julie Billsborough | Roger Smith
We have been involved in a study looking at experiences of support and treatment in bipolar disorder. And it has recently been published in the Journal of Mental Health so it felt like a good time to reflect on this piece of work.
Improving mental health support
Read More28 2014
We are concerned about the mental health of PhD students. By Sarah Hamilton
by Sarah Hamilton
The McPin Foundation’s vision is to ‘transform mental health research’ to ensure that lived experience is at the heart of all research affecting people with mental health problems. This means making research accessible at lots of different levels to allow people with different interests and skills to have their contribution valued in research.
Read More19 2014
Hearing people’s stories: interviewing with the McPin Foundation
by Katherine Barrett
Katherine Barrett describes her experience of working with the McPin Foundation to interview people about experiences of discrimination
I have just been involved in some very interesting research at the McPin Foundation. I have been a telephone interviewer for the Viewpoint Survey for two years now and in October 2013 I was invited to take part in a qualitative study using the Viewpoint questionnaire.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More20 2013
World Innovation Summit on Health (WISH)
by Vanessa Pinfold
Last week I attended WISH as a guest of Lord Ara Darzi along with around 800 international delegates representing health fields across the globe. The Institute for Global Health Innovation at Imperial college London has posted some highlights online and Richard Horton provided a comment piece in the Lancet this week.
Read More2 2013
Does service user involvement in research make a difference?
A major interest of the McPin Foundation is how service user and carer involvement in mental health research, reaching beyond taking part as participants, improves any project. It is a topic that is of interest to research funders as well, with programmes of research being commissioned by the NIHR to answer this question.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More22 2013
Doing PPI better: why we are always learning
by Sarah Hamilton
Last week, I attended a fantastic conference on Patient and Public Involvement in Exeter, organised by the South Peninsula CLAHRC.
The conference was a very inspiring event with a wide variety of researchers, practitioners and people who have used health services and are engaged in Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in research.
Collaborating with people with lived experience
Read More6 2013
What helps personalisation flourish?
by McPin Foundation
It sometimes seems as though our health and social care systems are in a constant state of change. Queen’s speech announced more changes to social care, at a time of increasingly difficult financial constraints. One area which is being widely discussed is the need to improve integration between Local Authorities and the National Health Services.
Read More30 2013
Reporting stigma experiences – views of practitioners, families and people living with mental health problems
by McPin Foundation
In March, the Mental Health Research Network (MHRN) ran their Annual three day National Scientific Meeting in London. The scientific meeting is an opportunity for mental health professionals, researchers, service users and carers to get together and find out about the different research that is currently being supported by the MHRN.
Inclusion and combating stigma
Read More4 2013
Time to Change
by McPin Foundation
Findings from the evaluation of the first three years of Time to Change England’s biggest ever anti-stigma campaign, were published on 3 April in the British Journal of Psychiatry and commented upon by journalists at the Times and Guardian. This evaluation includes the Viewpoint Survey, run by King’s College London in partnership with the McPin Foundation.
Inclusion and combating stigma
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