TranslateResearch News and Publications
Please contact us for a list of the latest research reports and published papers that relate to research studies the Trust has been involved in and/or where a member of staff is a named author. Please also see our quarterly Trust Research Newsletters which can be found at the bottom of this page.
7th Annual Trust Research Conference took place May 2024
The Trust’s seventh annual research conference took place 22 May 2024 to coincide with International Clinical Trials week, with over 400 people registered; a mix of in-person and online as the conference was run as a hybrid event. We opened the conference with a tribute to the wonderful Dr Wendy Mitchell, Trust Research Champion and Recovery College Facilitator for many years, who sadly passed away in Feb 2024. The programme also included speakers from various professions and specialties within our Trust, as well as national experts talking about research we are supporting in our Trust. The buzz in the room and at breaks networking was fantastic.
The date for next year’s research conference will be announced in due course.
CRN Yorkshire and Humber Research Awards 2023
Our very own Michele Moran was present at the recent CRN Yorkshire and Humber Research Awards 2023 ceremony where our Trust saw three triumphs across 12 categories.
First up was Heidi Fewings from our 0-19 Hull team, along with other colleagues across Yorkshire and Humber as part of the 0-19 Research Network, who won the award for ‘Best Contribution in Non-NHS Setting’.
This fantastic achievement was handed over to the team by Michele, in her role as Chair of the Partnership Group for CRN Yorkshire and Humber, in front of health and care colleagues and supporters.
Then it was the turn of Claire Marshall (Clinical Lead - Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team) who received ‘Highly Commended’ in the results of ‘Early Career Researcher / Associate PI of the Year’ and Karon Foster (Assistant Research Practitioner – Research Team) who took ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Best Patient Experience‘ category.
The event itself recognised the exceptional successes of professional teams from around our area and a great boost to our Trust that these teams and individuals were named at the awards.
When speaking of the awards, Amber O’Malley, Chief Operating Officer for the NIHR CRN Yorkshire and Humber, said: “It is an incredible privilege to be able to recognise and celebrate the inspirational work of NHS teams, primary, community and social care research staff who, together, work tirelessly to help us continue to improve treatments and care for people in our region.”
6th Annual Research Conference - Developing a City of Research VI
On 3 Nov 2022 we held our 6th very successful research conference, with around 450 delegates registering this year from over 100 different organisations.
Unfortunately, at very short notice, we had to move the conference to fully online, due to high levels of COVID and respiratory infections in the local area. However, despite a few small technical problems out of our control, the conference was very well received.
Feedback was really positive; 95% of people who completed the evaluation form rated the conference overall as excellent/good.
‘Great conference’
‘Many thanks for, and congratulations on, a very informative, varied and interesting conference’
‘Great day, it has motivated me to get involved’
You can now watch our highlight video here”
International Clinical Trials Day, 20 May
Every year, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) promotes International Clinical Trials Day on 20 May. This is a special day to celebrate clinical research all over the world and highlight the important impact research has had on medicine to date.
For the NIHR, International Clinical Trials Day is an opportunity to showcase the diversity of health and social care research, how you can get involved and the benefits it brings to patients and the public.
Find out about health and social care research that is taking place across the UK at Be Part of Research (nihr.ac.uk). There may be studies you can take part in.
Congratulations to Dr 'Dr' Wendy Mitchell
We are really pleased to announce that on Tuesday 9 July 2019 at the Hull Bonus Arena, Wendy Mitchell, our Trust Patient Research Ambassador who lives with dementia was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Hull. Liz walker, Professor of Health and Social Work research, said this was ‘in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to dementia research and advocacy. She contributes to teaching and research across a number of University of Hull degree programs, working with a whole range of future health and social work professionals, enabling them to better understand the lived experience of dementia. Her research and advocacy allows insight into the world of living with dementia. This award is also a recognition of the extraordinary contribution which her award-winning book has made to challenging negative conceptions of dementia and inspiring and supporting people living with dementia and their families. In short, it is a recognition of the extraordinary contribution which Wendy continues to make.’ Wendy was also awarded her second honorary doctorate by the University of Bradford the following week.
Social Work Role in Community Mental Health Teams: Acquiring a Perspective from Service Users
Research led from within Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust featured in evidence presented to Parliament in June 2019. The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Work is undertaking an inquiry into the role of mental health social workers and their working conditions. Dr Mark Wilberforce at the University of York presented findings of the research which was largely based upon lessons learned from service users receiving support from Humber social workers.
Dr Wilberforce states ‘The research found that service users placed very high value on specialist social work skills and knowledge, even when compared with other (generic) attributes. It also found that service users supported by social workers experienced more person-centred care when compared with those supported by other care coordinators.’ Commenting on the research, Fran Ashton, Trust Principal Social Worker said ‘Social workers at the Trust were keen to have the opportunity to learn from service users what was important to them about social work. They play a key role in multi-disciplinary teams, providing a perspective on social inclusion, safeguarding and personalisation. Working in integrated services can at times be dominated by a focus on health needs and interventions so the research helped to understand and appreciate the contribution that social work makes to people supported by the community mental health teams.’
The APPG is expected to publish the findings of its Inquiry in July, before making recommendations to the Department of Health & Social Care during the summer.
Our 2019 Annual Research Conference was a huge success
170 delegates registered for this year’s conference on 15 May, where a wide variety of speakers shared the results of research that the trust had taken part in, and talked about some exciting future projects. Thisyear’s topics ranged from smoking cessation for those with severe mental illness, to birth satisfaction, a clinician’s personal research journey, developing drugs for dementia, a very moving story from someone living with autism, service user’s perspectives on the social worker role, diabetes and severe mental illness, using artificial intelligence for wound healing and child and adolescent mental health research. The feedback from delegates was incredibly positive and included such comments as “Stunning!!!”, “Inspirational”, “Wonderful diverse array of presentations. I feel I’ve learned so much!!” and “What a brilliant day… the speakers were interesting and informative and gave out hope for the future”.
The title of our conference video this year is “Celebrating 12 months in research and changing lives”. To watch the video on Youtube please click on the image below.
Research Team are winners!
Corporate Services - Team of the Year 2018
We are proud to announce that we won the Corporate Services Team of the Year Award at this years Staff Awards on 6th December. We would like to thank all that have supported us throughout the year and look forward to working with you again next year.
Humber near the top of 2017-18 NIHR league table
We were the 2nd highest recruiting and had the 2nd highest number of studies running amongst the Yorkshire and Humber Mental Health trusts. Across all mental health trusts in England we were in the top 40%.
Congratulations
Claire Marshall, Specialist Nurse and Clinical Lead with the Trust Perinatal Mental Health Liaison Team, will be further developing her research skills and contributing to high-calibre research at the University of Hull as part of the Health Education England and NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Programme.
Only 40 of the 146 clinicians that applied nationally for this pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship were accepted onto this prestigious programme. Claire will continue to work as Clinical Lead within the Perinatal Mental Health Liaison Team for the Trust two days a week whilst taking up the NIHR fellowship which funds a further 2 days a week of her time for 2.5 years to develop research in this crucial area.
Research shows that between 10-20% of women are affected by perinatal mental health conditions – the mental health problems that arise during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth. This fellowship is another example of the positive collaboration between the Trust and the University of Hull.
Humber Staff involved in study which shows that computer therapy can help people with aphasia find lost words
Computer therapy can help people with aphasia learn new words even years after a stroke, a study funded by the National Institute for Health Research has found.
The pioneering £1.5 million study offered people with aphasia the opportunity to take part in self-managed speech and language therapy using a computer at home. More than 270 people from 21 NHS Speech and Language departments across the UK took part in the trial.
Results of the five-year study showed computer therapy enabled patients to increase their speech and language practice. Participants also significantly improved their ability to say the words they chose to practise.
Researchers are now hoping to focus on how to encourage the use of new words in everyday communication to further improve quality of life.
For more information about the study please visit https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/computer-therapy-can-help-people-with-aphasia-find-lost-words/11379
Annual Research Conference a “fantastic event”
Prof Alistair Burns, NHS England National Clinical Director for Dementia & Mental Health in Older People, praised the Trust for staging our second sell-out annual research conference, describing it as a “fantastic event”. The conference was attended by around 140 people from all kinds of professions and organisations. Wendy Mitchell, our Patient Research Ambassador spoke about the importance of being involved in research and read an extract from her Sunday Times No1 best selling book ‘Somebody I used to know’. There were a huge variety of presentations through the day, from person-centred care in general practice, to leg and foot ulcers, mental health in expectant and new mums, physical health inequalities of those with poor mental health, clinical trials, treating phobias in children, carer involvement in risk assessments and finally a presentation on alcohol addiction.
One of the sessions included our video which celebrates research and the impact it can have on people's lives. You can watch this at https://youtu.be/LBgULBKRiAE
Dr Emma Wolverson, Trust Clinical Psychologist, won the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia Research Leader Award 2018 for ‘Outstanding contribution to early career dementia research’ along with £1,000 to put towards her career development over the next year.
Emma was nominated by Cathryn Hart, Assistant Director Research and Development, and received her award at the annual Alzheimer’s Society conference in May at the Kia Oval, London. Cathryn said “Emma is passionate about making a difference, a real advocate of the importance of research in the Trust, and thoroughly deserves this award. I am so pleased she was chosen as the winner.” Emma stated ‘it was such a great honour to win this prestigious award’.
Emma is also a Clinical Lecturer at the University of Hull and UK Chief Investigator for the European Horizon 2020-funded research trial of a digital platform for people living with dementia and those who support them, aiming for people to live well in the community for as long as possible. She was also recently one of BBC Radio Humberside’s panel of experts during Dementia Awareness Week.
National Clinical Director for Dementia to deliver keynote speech at Trust’s second research conference
The National Clinical Director for Dementia is to deliver a keynote speech at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s second research conference.
Professor Alistair Burns, who is also National Clinical Director for Mental Health in Older People, will address delegates on 16 May - during Dementia Awareness Week - at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, in Grange Park Lane, Willerby.
Trust Chief Executive Michele Moran said: “For Alistair to agree to address our conference is a tremendous privilege for the Trust and a huge boost to our efforts to develop our reputation as a regional powerhouse of health research and development.
“We hope Alistair’s presence, combined with that of a host of other outstanding experts in related fields, will make the event an even bigger success than last year’s conference, which was not only a ‘sell-out’ but rated ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ by every delegate.”
Another headline speaker at the Developing a City of Research II event will be Simon Gilbody, Professor of Psychological Medicine and Health Services Research, and Director of the Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, both at the University of York.
Joanne Reeve, Professor of Primary Care Research at Hull York Medical School, and Andrea Nelson, Professor of Clinical Nursing and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds, will also address delegates.
Other speakers will include Dr Judith Cohen, Director of the Hull Health Trials Unit, and Catriona Jones, Senior Research Fellow in Maternal and Reproductive Health, both from the University of Hull.
Wendy Mitchell, Humber’s Patient Research Ambassador, who is about to publish a book, Somebody I used to know, about her experience of living with dementia, will also speak.
Cathryn Hart, the Trust’s Assistant Director of Research and Development, said: “We aim to showcase even more local, national and international research our Trust is involved in, the potential for future collaborations and new areas of research, to demonstrate the benefits of research for our community, and to encourage more healthcare professionals to offer opportunities for people to become involved in research studies.
“We have chosen to hold the conference on 16 May to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day and to coincide with the National Institute for Health Research’s ‘I Am Research’ campaign.”
The event, which will run from 9am until 4pm, is aimed at Trust staff, commissioners, GPs, social services staff, academics, voluntary organisations and the media. Refreshments and a lunch will be provided.
The full conference programme will be available nearer the day of the event.
Trust Patient Research Ambassador wins award at the Humber NHS Foundation Trust Awards Ceremony 2017
Wendy Mitchell, Patient Research Ambassador for the Trust has added one more to the growing number of Awards she has received – picking up the Volunteer award at the Humber NHS Foundation Trust 2017 Awards. The award was received on her behalf by Cathryn Hart (Assistant Director Research and Development) and Alison Greenley (Senior Research and Development Administration Assistant).This well-deserved award is in recognition of Wendy’s tireless efforts in promoting the benefits of research across our community – well done and many thanks Wendy. Only a few days earlier she had also received the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friendly award for Inspirational Individual at a ceremony in London.
Dementia research: Colin and Irene's story
Colin, who along with his wife, has taken part in a number of research studies through the Trust, has spoken about living with dementia and taking part in research on the disease, in a video released to mark World Alzheimer's Day. He concludes by saying: "The more people involved in research into dementia the better." To learn more about research into dementia please visit www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk or contact the Trust research team on 01482 301726, HNF-TR.ResearchTeam@nhs.net.’
Research Strategy 2020-22
Research is central to ensuring services are effective and that new treatments and ways of delivering care continue to be identified that enable recovery and prevention, reduce disease burden, improve quality and increase productivity. We made significant progress across the seven objectives set out in our previous strategy 2017-2019. The 2020-22 strategy aims to build on that progress and continue our journey to achieving an outstanding reputation for research.
You can download the strategy here.
European funded research study launched in Hull
Friday 27 January saw the official launch event at the Village Hotel in Hull of the ‘CareGiversPro-MMD’ study, part of a programme of research being led in the UK by the University of Hull. This European Horizon 2020 funded research is taking place in five sites across Europe; England, Spain, Italy, Germany and Greece, with Humber NHS Foundation Trust currently the only NHS site to be selected in the UK.
Dr Emma Wolverson (UK Chief Investigator and Trust Clinical Psychologist) and Dr Kevin Paulson from the University of Hull opened the event and gave an overview of the development of the web tool, the intervention being tested in this study, to support people with memory problems and their families.
Wendy Mitchell, who lives locally with dementia and is our Trust Patient Research Ambassador, gave a really interesting insight into how she uses technology in her daily life and of how research can have positive benefits for those who take part.
Presentations followed throughout the day from many guest speakers around the theme of health technology and the audience had the opportunity to discuss issues around the use of technology and things the research team may wish to consider when further developing this web-based intervention.
A very exciting project for this region!
June 2018: New NICE guidelines stipulate that people with dementia should be provided with information on research studies they can take part in
http://www.enrich.nihr.ac.uk/newsitem/new-nice-guidelines
All people with dementia should be provided with information on research studies they could participate in, according to new guidelines on best practice released by NICE. Newly released guidelines for health and social care professionals include a recommendation to tell people living with dementia and their carers about research studies they could participate in. Currently it is estimated that 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, and the only way to find new and better ways to treat and care for those affected by the condition is to do more research. But researchers rely on people finding out about suitable studies and volunteering to take part.
The new recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), makes clear that health and care professionals should help people living with dementia and their carers find out about opportunities to take part in research, and empower them to make their own decisions about getting involved. One straightforward way to do this is to provide information about Join Dementia Research (www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk/).
Hilary Doxford who was diagnosed with young onset dementia welcomes the new guidance: “When I was diagnosed, my second question to the clinician I saw was ‘What research is there that I can get involved in?’, and he just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘I don't know’. This guidance is great news for people with dementia.”
Please contact the Trust’s Research team for details of studies available locally and for help registering with the Join Dementia Research service on 01482 301726 or hnf-tr.ResearchTeam@nhs.net.
NIHR CRN INCLUDE
Following discussions with key stakeholders, research and hosting a series of events, the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) INCLUDE steering group are delighted to have developed the following guidance material:
The INCLUDE guidance has been designed to be used in conjunction with research, particularly in the early stages of setting-up. The guidance aims to get research teams thinking about ways of making health research more inclusive and to ensure under-served cohorts are more fairly represented in health research.
What will I find in the INCLUDE Guidance?
This guidance summarises what an under-served group is, provides a roadmap suggesting intervention points to improve inclusion, examples of under-served groups and example barriers to inclusion. It then offers a suggested framework of questions to guide the deliberations of funders, researchers and delivery teams as they design and assess clinical research proposals, and ends with examples of good practice and other resources to guide teams seeking to engage with, and improve inclusion of, under-served groups in clinical research.
Find out more about INCLUDE
To find out more about INCLUDE, please take a look at the Under-served communities | NIHR document which provides information to date on the INCLUDE project. Take a look at the new INCLUDE website for additional resources, information about partners and much more.
