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The MHRU builds on a legacy of highly successful mental health research in ºù«Ӱҵ, with particular expertise in the development and evaluation of psychological therapies. ScHARR was ranked fourth in the UK for the power of their health research (2014 Research Excellence Framework) and is one of the largest multi-disciplinary schools of public health research and health services research in the UK.

Current interests in the Mental Health Research Unit involve:

• The evaluation of mental health care, including physical, psychological, social and systems-level interventions
• The development and evaluation of novel interventions to improve outcomes for people with mental health problems
• Mixed methods, mechanism-based research to elucidate and model variations in mental health needs and outcomes between people, places and services
• The development, validation and evaluation of implementation of measures of professional- and patient-rated measures of outcome (including quality of life and wellbeing) and experience in people with mental illness

Recent projects include the Pragmatic, Randomised Controlled Trial assessing the non-Inferiority of Counselling and its Effectiveness for Depression (PRaCTICED), the  (comprising numerous projects concerned with comorbidity, physical and mental health problems and their care), and research into the ways in which patient experience data is collected and used to improve services (EURIPIDES).

The unit has strong links with all mental health trusts in the region, including , as well as with , the ºù«Ӱҵ Institute for Translational Neuroscience, an international centre of excellence for basic through to applied research in neurodegenerative disease.

Prospective ACFs will have the opportunity to develop a project with any (or all) of these collaborating organisations. Prof Scott Weich will act as the main academic mentor and will assist fellows in identifying supervisors to match their research interests.

ACFs have a personal training plan, designed according to their individual needs, experience and preferences. All ACFs will have 6 months of dedicated research time in Year 2 or 3, depending on their level at the time of recruitment. The remaining 3 months of academic time will be spread over the other years, and will include Masters-level modules. This time will be negotiated with clinical supervisors and will be in keeping with the personal training plan. Detailed arrangements will be organised with the assistance of Prof Weich.

The clinical academic programme provides support for the trainee’s PhD fellowship applications, including feedback and advice from the University’s research & innovation services and mock fellowship interviews.

Academic lead

Professor Scott Weich | s.weich@sheffield.ac.uk