What’s the project?
This is a project that is being carried out by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Mental Health based at University College London. This research team have been commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care to understand the experiences of people who have been detained under the Mental Health Act, and the people supporting them. They are specifically interested in the experience of the Nearest Relative provision. This work will be fed back to policy-makers to shape future policy. Have you experienced being detained or assessed under the Mental Health Act in England?
You may be eligible if you
- have been assessed or detained under the Mental Health Act
OR
- are a Nearest Relative, or other family member or friend who was involved in someone else being assessed or detained under the Mental Health Act. The research team are particularly interested in hearing about people’s experiences of the Nearest Relative provision under the Act.
University College London Ethics Approval, Project ID: 2744
Find out more
The UCL research team are conducting interviews as part of two studies that, both are about experiences of being detained under the Mental Health Act and how services could better support people detained and their families during this time.
One study is exploring the experiences of young people who have themselves experienced being detained under the Mental Health Act, about the Nearest Relative provision.
The other study is exploring the experiences of the “Nearest Relative”, of someone who was detained under the Mental Health Act, about the Nearest Relative provision.
Interviews will take place online via Microsoft Teams. Participants will be required to be involved for the duration of one interview which will be one hour long. Participants can withdraw from the study during the interview or at any point up to two weeks after the interview.
You must be:
- Aged 16-30 years old
- Have experience of being:
- Assessed or detained under the Mental Health Act
OR
- Being a main informal carer or supporter involved in someone’s assessment or detention under the Mental Health Act (For carers: This will include people who were the identified Nearest Relative in the MHA, and people who weren’t but nevertheless had a main caring role.)
- Must be based in the UK
The UCL research team are also particularly interested in speaking to young people (age 16-30, and people from Black and Bangladeshi and Pakistani, and other minoritised ethnic groups. We would also love to hear from anyone who has experience of requesting to discharge a relative from hospital.
You will be offered a £30 shopping voucher for your participation in this study.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email [email protected] for more information and to apply to take part.
Recruitment will close in the next few weeks from the opening date (05/08/2026)
Please note that the McPin Foundation regularly promotes opportunities on behalf of other institutions; we are not responsible for the continuation or contents of further correspondence with any project partners where we are not listed as the project main point of contact.
