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Survivor Researcher Network News
Experiences of adult romantic or couple relationships for individuals with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder
Are You?
Over 18 with a diagnosis of BPD?
Have you been in an adult romantic or couple relationship?
Would you be willing to speak with us about how you think the diagnosis of BPD has affected your relationships?
The Study
The study is about what it is like to live with Borderline Personality Disorder and develop romantic/couple relationships. We would like to interview people about their experiences of living with some of the symptoms associated with BPD while in a relationship. We are especially interested in finding out how romantic/couple relationships might influence a person’s recovery.
Your involvement
The interview will last up to about 60-90 minutes, but you can end the interview sooner if you would like to. Refreshments will be provided. We will meet at a time and place acceptable to you. The research involves meeting with one of the researchers for an individual face-to-face interview. We are not inviting couples to be interviewed in this study.
Who are the researchers?
Dr. Joanne Brown is a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health and an accredited counsellor/therapist. She works at the University of Southampton. Kati Turner is a survivor researcher at St.George’s, University of London.
Further details:
If you are interested in taking part or have any questions, please e-mail Joanne Brown or call 02380 598304.
Helen Lester Mental Health Research Fellowship application
Open to 31 July 2016
The call for the Helen Lester Mental Health Research Fellowship has now re opened. The fellowship set up in Helen’s memory aims to improve the lives of those living with mental health problems across the UK.
Applicants should:
• Produce an innovative and creative proposal, centred around delivery in primary care
• Explain how their research will ultimately improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness
• Explain how the proposed research project will impact service development
• Encourage and inspire the next generation of mental health researchers
The award of £25,000 will be available for a period of 1 to 3 years.
To apply, please complete the following application form by 31 July 2016:
Helen Lester Mental Health Fellowship application form
Helen Lester Mental Health Fellowship Guidance notes
Applications must be submitted via email to SFB@rcgp.org.uk
This will be awarded later this year.
To find out more about the Helen Lester Appeal for Mental Health Research follow these links:
Helen Lester Mental Health Research Fellowship information
Research fellowships
Call for Oral Presentations/Workshops
‘Critical Perspectives On and Beyond Activism and Acts Of Resistance…’
9th & 10th November 2016
School of Applied Social Studies and School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, Ireland. In association with Critical Voices Network Ireland.
For many years now, individuals and groups have engaged with activism to raise concerns in the area commonly referred to as ‘mental health’. Such activism has seen the emergence of collective forms of inquiry, knowledge production and resistance (with some innovative changes), which challenge us all to move beyond traditional understandings and practices. This conference, now in its 8th year, aims to explore and debate critical perspectives on and beyond:
– Acts of resistance within and outside academic and service systems
– The impact of activism on democratising mental health care
– The importance of socio-political perspectives in understanding and responding to human distress
– Co-option of resistance into dominant systems.
Call for Oral Presentations/Workshops (45 minutes’ duration): Please submit an abstract (in Word – 250 words max) related to the conference theme and outlining its aims and intentions by 4 September 2016. Please also submit a brief bio (in Word – 150 words max).
Email abstract and bio to l.sapouna@ucc.ie. Inquiries to h.gijbels@ucc.ie or l.sapouna@ucc.ie. Registration details will be circulated in September 2016.
National Institute for Health Research - PPI webpages redevelopment Advisory Group
Are you interested in improving the information on patient and public involvement on the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) webpage? The NIHR PPI team are looking for people who are interested in health and social care research, but do not have a clinical, academic (at Doctoral levels) or social care background to help improve the information provided on patient and public involvement on the NIHR webpage.
You would be responsible for reviewing and commenting on website materials and participating in teleconferences and/or focus groups in London. For more information about the opportunity and how to apply please click here.
Blogs and articles
The relevance of wellbeing to future research (Duncan Purslow, SRN member and a former service user with Birmingham mental health services).
The EU Referendum has caused a mental health crisis (Jay Watts, Guardian Opinion)
Medicalisation and its discontents (The Lancet Psychiatry. This editorial piece discusses how "psychiatric" language can corrode public discourse.)
Mad and Queer studies: interconnections and tensions (Helen Spandler and Meg-John Barker, Mad Studies Network)
Research
Is it worth it? Patient and public views on the impact of their involvement in health research and its assessment: a UK-based qualitative interview study - Crocker J, Boylan A, Rostock J, Locock, L. (2016) Health Expectations. This qualitative study explores the views of PPI contributors involved in health research regarding the impact of PPI on research, whether and how it should be assessed.
Ordinary risks and accepted fictions: how contrasting and competing priorities work in risk assessment and mental health care planning - Coffey M, Cohen R, Faulkner A, Hannigan B, Simpson A, Barlow S. (2016) Health Expectations. Diana Rose discusses the article for the Mental Elf here.
Decisions about the use of psychotropic medication during pregnancy: a qualitative study - Stevenson, F. et al. BMJ Open (2016). Harminder Kaur, a member of the project's Lived Experience Advisory Panel summarises the research.
Refreshing Perspectives: Exploring the application of peer research with populations facing severe and multiple disadvantage - Terry, L. et al. (2016) Revolving Doors. This review explores how peer research has been carried out with different groups facing multiple disadvantages or long term exclusion. It explores key concepts such as power dynamics, ethics of peer research, and relationship to social change.
Better mental health for all: A public health approach to mental health improvement - (2016) Mental Health Foundation and Faculty for Public Health. This report examines what can be done individually and collectively to enhance the mental health of individuals, families and communities by using a public health approach and support the development of knowledge and skills in public mental health.
Take part in a study led by the University of Lancaster
The REACT study, which is run by researchers at Lancaster University, compares the effectiveness of a Relatives Education and Coping Toolkit (REACT) with an online Resource Directory for reducing distress and increasing wellbeing in relatives or close friends of people with psychosis or bipolar disorder. Using volunteers, half the participants receive the REACT toolkit, and the other half receive a Resource Directory. If the toolkit is proven successful, it has the potential to be rolled out across the UK.
Accessed online, the toolkit contains lots of information on psychosis and bipolar disorder including people’s experiences of the illness, mental health services, and treatment. It also has strategies to manage common problems, highlighted by relatives taking part in the study. An online forum (REACT Group) allows participants to talk directly with others.
The Resource Directory lists details of how to access the full range of support currently available to relatives and friends of people with psychosis or bipolar disorder. It also includes web links to national mental health organisations and details of how to access support through NHS health services. This ensures you get access to the best support currently available.
The REACT Team are looking for more relatives or close friends of people with psychosis or bipolar disorder to take part in the study.
If you would like to know more or sign up, please visit reacttoolkit.co.uk.
Middlesex University Centre for Co-production in Mental Health Inaugural International Seminar
‘Insider, Outsider, Impostor?’ Perspectives of mental health service user and survivor researchers and teachers on co-production in academia
Monday 18th July. Location: C114, College Building, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BT
The seminar offers a unique opportunity to learn about mental health coproduction in academia from the perspective of leading service user and survivor experts who will discuss coproduction and service user and survivor leadership in research, teaching and course development, and mental health service consultancy.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Sarah Gordon, Research Fellow, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand. Sarah is an international leader in the field and convenes the annual international Service User Academia Symposium.
Using a blend of talks and facilitated workshops, the aim is to bring together mental health service user and survivor teachers and researchers with their non-user colleagues and students to discuss how co-productive approaches can advance and improve research and practice.
The seminar is limited to 60 places. 40 places are available for other paying delegates at £59 each. 20 free places are available to service users and survivors who are unwaged, on a low income or from small user-led mental health organisations.
Lunch and refreshments will be provided. All delegates will receive a follow-up report of the proceedings of the seminar.
To find out more and to book your place, please see their website.
Reimagining Professionalism in mental health: towards co-production - ESRC seminar series
Seminar 3: Contemporary developments in mental health practice: a help and/or a hindrance to powersharing.
Tuesday 19th July, Leeds University
This seminar will consider co-production in the light of new practices in mental health. These include the advent of specialised low- and high-intensity psychological services for people with common mental health problems, funded by the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme; the introduction of new professional roles (such as Psychological Well-being Practitioners, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists Associate Practitioners), and the changing roles of mental health nurses.
New initiatives designed to promote coproduction, for example through service user-led recovery work and personalisation will be discussed from a variety of stakeholder perspectives in relation to the evidence drawn from the Connecting People Intervention.
To apply for a place to attend the event, click here.
The Survivor Researcher Network
About us
The Survivor Researcher Network (SRN) aims to provide mental health service users and survivors involved and interested in research a forum for networking, sharing information, and supporting each other.
We are keen to acknowledge and promote the diversity of experiences, identities and backgrounds of survivor researchers and to challenge the marginalisation of some communities in mental health research (including user-led research), in terms of access to resources, participation and leadership.
If you would like to share your experiences of survivor research, or if you have anything you would like to share with other SRN members we would love to hear from you!
E-mail Emma (or call 07885 964293).