Research & Innovation knowledge and skills development day

Learn about how our cutting-edge research is helping develop new treatments and how you can get involved with R&I on Friday 4 November 2022 from 9.00am - 4.30pm, at The Curve, Prestwich.

This one-day update is for you if you want to hear more about our latest research, and to refresh your knowledge in science, research principles and practice, and new treatments, and find out how to get involved in research and innovation projects.

Keeping up to date with the latest research and treatments for service users can be difficult. This day will be packed with updates on research and innovation that has been taking place nationally and locally, and provide practical insights into how you can use this knowledge in clinical practice to help service users. Through a series of talks and workshops, you’ll learn more about how you can get involved in research, and the benefits this offers to you and your patients.

Book your free place here.

Event Agenda


9.00am - 9.30am	Arrival
9.30am - 9.45am	Welcome from Prof Damien Longson, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Director of Research & Innovation
9.45am - 10.45am	Long Covid: what we know and what are we doing about it? Dr Sarah Burlinson, Dr Gillian Fairclough, and Jo Stucke It is now well established that a proportion of people who have had Covid-19 go on to develop a long-term complex health difficulties, characterised by the presence of persistent physical, cognitive and psychological symptoms. This talk will provide an overview of these symptoms, their prevalence, and how to assess them, with a focus on psychological symptoms. It will provide practical recommendations for clinicians on how to implement NICE guidance on treating long Covid in clinical practice, the need for a joined-up biopsychosocial approach which brings together physical health, mental health and social care expertise and providers, and the creation of new care pathways for people in Greater Manchester.
10.45am - 11.15am	Talking about suicide and psychosis: key issues for service users Dr Kamelia Harris Taking part in suicide-related studies can be a positive experience. However, there are some negative impacts following participation. In this talk, Dr Kamelia Harris will talk about a study which investigated the potential short- and long-term effects of repeated assessment of suicidal thoughts and behaviours as part of the CARMS (Cognitive AppRoaches to coMbatting Suicidality) trial. Results indicated that participation was positive, and mood improved or did not change over the course of the study, with participants reporting benefits including being able to help others and being a part of a wider endeavour to understand suicidal experiences. Feelings of distress arising from participation were countered by acceptance of this occurring and use of coping strategies.
11.15am - 11.30am	Break
11.30am - 12.00pm	Workshop 1 Throughout the day, there will be a carousel of workshops running covering topics including critical appraisal of published research, innovation, lived experience in research, and ethical research.
12.00pm - 12.30pm	Brain Health Dr Ross Dunne Dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, and currently affects 7 percent of over-65s and 20 percent of over-80s. With an aging population, by 2036, 1 in 5 people living in the boroughs served by GMMH will be over-65 – that equates to 1.5 percent of people in these areas living with dementia unless drastic action is taking to reduce the onset of dementia, and cures are found. In this talk, Dr Ross Dunne, will talk about how we can accurately identify whether mild cognitive impairment, a condition currently affecting 20 percent of service user attending memory clinics, will progress to dementia and what we can do to prevent this. He will discuss the use of molecular diagnostics for accurate diagnosis – currently being trialled at brainHealth Manchester – and the role of behavioural interventions to delay and prevent the onset of dementia.
12.30pm - 1.15pm	Lunch
1.15pm - 1.45pm	Workshop 2 Throughout the day, there will be a carousel of workshops running covering topics including critical appraisal of published research, innovation, lived experience in research, and ethical research.
1.45pm - 2.15pm	The role of a nurse in research Miriam Avery and Alison Dawber Mental health nurses are the largest professional group working in NHS mental health services, but their involvement in research remains low, despite the value and expertise this group bring. One of the perceived barriers to nurses becoming more research-active is the absence of clear career pathway and a lack of role models. Miriam and Alison, who both began their careers as mental health nurses, and have since gone on to develop clinical-academic research careers, will share insights from their experiences, and offer practical advice on how to get started, identify opportunities, and find peer support and role models.
2.15pm - 2.45pm	How can we prevent suicide within mental health services? Insights from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health Dr Pauline Turnbull In this talk Dr Pauline Turnbull will share data from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH), an in-depth study which has been collecting data on all suicides in the UK since 1996. She will provide insights into how suicide rates have changed nationally over time, and practical recommendations about what clinicians can do to improve safety for all patients, and ultimately help prevent suicide within mental health services.
2.45pm - 3.00pm	Break
3.00pm - 3.30pm	Workshop 3 Throughout the day, there will be a carousel of workshops running covering topics including critical appraisal of published research, innovation, lived experience in research, and ethical research.
3.30pm - 3.45pm	Life as a Research Advocate Dr Yasmin Babiker Research advocates play a crucial role in spreading the word about research and innovation projects and studies to their colleagues and service users. For service users, the opportunity to be involved in a research trial can mean they have access to interventions and therapies that might not yet be routinely available. In this talk, Dr Yasmin Babiker will provide insights into the role of a research advocate as a bridge between clinical and research teams. Drawing on her own experiences, she will discuss how she has helped ensure that clinical teams and service users are aware and able to participate in the latest research, and that findings from research trials can be embedded into clinical practice, to ultimately improve outcomes for service users.
3.45pm - 4.15pm	Talking with voices Dr Eleanor Longden Although hearing voices can occur widely in an absence of mental health problems, the experience is also reported by up to 75% of those diagnosed with schizophrenia and can lead to extreme distress and disruption. The presentation will provide an overview of Talking With Voices (TwV), a recent randomised control trial which aimed to establish the feasibility and acceptability of using dialogue and psychological formulation to attempt to create a more peaceful, constructive relationship between hearer and voice. The intervention’s clinical and conceptual background will be discussed, including the role of co-production in mental health research, with an overview provided of future steps for developing a more robust evidence base for TwV in terms of its clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
4.15pm - 4.30pm	Closing comments – Prof Damien Longson

Workshop Information

Workshop A: Lived experience in research

Rory Bryne and Dr Emily Eisner

This workshop will offer a brief summary of the background to bringing Lived Experience (‘LEx’) into research. This will include describing various forms of LEx involvement, key examples of completed research with strong LEx input, and a discussion of some challenges to consider when planning LEx in research, or taking part as a LEx contributor or researcher. The workshop is intended to be informal and interactive, so attendees are free to bring their own questions and curiosity to the discussion.

Workshop B: Introduction to the principles of ethical research

Dr Rob Griffiths

This interactive workshop aims to provide a brief introduction to the principles of ethical research. It is designed for people who have not attended any previous training on this topic. The workshop will use a combination of case studies and group work to explore common issues and dilemmas relating to the ethical conduct of research.

Workshop C: Identifying areas to innovate: what happens in the gaps?

John Sainsbury

In this workshop you will learn how to use tools to explore the interrelationships within elements in a system. The Function and Attribution Analysis tool exposes perceptions of relationship quality and element features, which if given the right attention may improve processes and communication channels. In organisations with developing innovation capability, focussing on internal processes is the most likely place to achieve successful innovation leaps. You will leave with an initial grasp of this approach, which if utilised fully may shed insight and create a space for new ideas.

Workshop D: How to critically appraise published research & why it’s important

Dr Richard Drake

This workshop will provide some tips and guidelines on how to read journal articles and think through how evidence can shape practice.

Meet the speakers


Dr Sarah Burlinson Dr Sarah Burlinson is a consultant liaison psychiatrist in the Psychological Medicine Service in Oldham and clinical lead for liaison mental health services in Pennine Care. She is involved in the development and delivery of services for people with complex health conditions including the recent development of integrated pathways for people with persistent symptoms following Covid-19 in Greater Manchester. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and on the Liaison Psychiatry Executive Committee.
Jo Stucke Jo Stucke is an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Non-Medical Prescriber at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and is currently working in a Psychological Medicine Service with people experiencing Long Covid. She has co-authored a series of articles on Long Covid for Nursing Times. She is also part of the organising team for Prescribing for Mental Health, providing CPD events for Non-Medical Prescribers.
Dr Gillian Fairclough Dr Gillian Fairclough is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Clinical Lead of the Post-COVID Syndrome service provided by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. For over ten years, she has been involved in the provision and development of psychological services for people with long term distressing and persistent health conditions. She is a registered practitioner psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council and a member of the Association of Clinical Psychologists UK.
Dr Kamelia Harris Dr Kamelia Harris is a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Manchester. She completed her PhD in clinical psychology in 2021 at the University of Manchester. Her PhD investigated psychological resilience to suicidal thoughts and behaviours in people with non-affective psychosis. She has been working in the field of psychology since 2014 on numerous research projects testing the effectiveness of different therapeutic interventions. Her research interests include understanding suicidality and psychosis-related mental health problems and adopting strengths-based approaches to the development of psychological interventions. Since 2020, she has been working as a project coordinator on the CARMS trial which assessed the effectiveness of a suicide prevention psychological therapy for people experiencing psychosis.
Dr Ross Dunne Dr Ross Dunne is a consultant psychiatrist, clinical director of the Greater Manchester Dementia Research Centre (GMDRC) at GMMH, and Dementia Theme Lead for Health Innovation Manchester. His research interests include clinical prediction models, and the early diagnosis and ultimately prevention of neurodegenerative disorders.
Miriam Avery Miriam Avery is an HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, hosted by GMMH. She has extensive clinical and research experience, first training and working as a mental health nurse; more lately working as a clinical manager and clinical research nurse. Her PhD research is focused on the development of mental health liaison services for young people in England.
Dr Pauline Turnbull Dr Pauline Turnbull is Project Director of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH). NCISH recommendations have improved patient safety in mental health settings and reduced patient suicide rates, and NCISH evidence is cited in national policies and clinical guidance and regulations in all UK countries. Pauline’s particular interest is in driving change in self-harm and suicide prevention through the implementation of evidence-based recommendations.
Dr Yasmin Babiker Dr Yasmin Babiker has been working as a speciality doctor in Central Manchester Early Intervention Services since 2019. She enjoys the diverse and varied patient contact she has a on a daily basis. Growing up in an immigrant African household and having lived across three different continents means she is particularly interested in social and cultural issues and how they impact the way we practice and implement psychiatric practices.
Dr Eleanor Longden Dr Eleanor Longden is a Postdoctoral Service User Research Manager at the Psychosis Research Unit at GMMH, honorary research fellow at the University of Manchester, and co-director of GMMH’s Complex Trauma and Resilience Research Unit. Throughout her career, Dr Longden has drawn on her own experiences of recovery from trauma and psychosis to promote person-centred approaches to complex mental health problems that emphasise the lived experience and expertise of service-users. Her research focusses on the relationship between dissociation, trauma, and voice-hearing, and she has lectured and published internationally on these issues.
Alison Dawber Alison Dawber qualified as a mental health nurse in 2016. She initially worked on a 21-bed female acute ward. She then moved into the community as a care coordinator and has worked in several teams across GMMH and Pennine Care. Alison has undertaken a research internship at the University of Manchester/NIHR and been seconded to the GMMH Mental Health Nurse Research Unit as a Senior Research Nurse and now Deputy Director/Research Fellow. Sha has also been awarded the Florence Nightingale Mental Health Nurse Leadership award. As a mental health nurse, Alison was able to help individuals. Working in research is a way to help everyone.
Rory Bryne Rory Bryne has worked as a user-researcher at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust since 2006 and is based at the Trust’s Psychosis Research Unit. His work has focused especially on interviewing service users, carers, and staff about their experiences and views of treatment and care for psychosis-spectrum difficulties. Rory has also contributed Lived Experience expertise at many levels of research and Trust work, including national and international conferences and collaborations.
Dr Emily Eisner Dr Emily Eisner is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Manchester working on a range of digital mental health research studies. She is Principal Investigator and PPI lead on the NIHR-funded DAWN-P (Digital Assessment of Wellbeing in New Parents) study which tests digital screening using a smartphone app for postnatal depression. Emily draws on her own lived experience of postnatal depression and anxiety in her work on this and other studies, e.g. as co-investigator and PPI Lead on the Cute Panda study. Emily’s wider research profile can be viewed here.
Dr Rob Griffiths Rob Griffiths is a Lecturer in Mental Health at the University of Manchester, and Director of the Mental Health Nursing Research Unit (MHNRU) at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. During his HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship (2016 – 2019), Rob focused on evaluating a new talking therapy called Method of Levels for people experiencing first-episode psychosis. His current research interests are improving outcomes for people experiencing first-episode psychosis, developing clinical applications of a theory of human behaviour called Perceptual Control Theory, and reducing the use of restrictive practices for children in mental health inpatient settings. Rob has also worked clinically in Assertive Outreach and Early Intervention in Psychosis mental health services.
John Sainsbury John Sainsbury is the Innovation Manager, in Research and Innovation at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. He has worked in Mental Health employment services, CMHTs and EITs. Whilst studying at Buckingham University, he completed a randomised feasibility study exploring the impact of Systematic Innovation training on the problem-solving efficacy of managers and clinicians in the NHS and is authorised to deliver training in systematic innovation. John works with individuals and teams to explore complex system problems/opportunities from a range of perspectives and draws upon inventive principles to generate robust solutions.
Professor Richard Drake Richard Drake is a Professor of Clinical Adult Psychiatry at the University of Manchester and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at GMMH. In the latter role, he was involved in developing rehabilitation services across Manchester. Since 2019 he has been a consultant in North Manchester Early Intervention Service, working full time there March-December 2020. Richard is also a clinical co-lead for Mental Health in Health Innovation Manchester, Chair of the Manchester Medication Management Committee and part of the schizophrenia guidelines committee and teaching faculty of the British Association of Psychopharmacology. His aim is to improve translation of research evidence and novel treatments into clinical practice.