Health, Community Care and Mental Health
Ongoing Work
Community Care
Community care and mental health services for adults with sensory impairment in Scotland
Contractor: MVA
Due: April 2006
Contact: Tom Lamplugh [0131 244 3533]
Research project on the services provided for people with sensory impairment, including mental health and community care services, the purpose being to map out services provided, identify examples of good practice and explore service user and carer perspectives in order to address present inconsistencies and specialist needs.
Establishing the evidence base for an evaluation of the implementation and impact of the Free Personal Care Policy
Contractor: Stirling University
Due: April 2006
Contact: Tom Lamplugh [0131 244 3533]
This project aims to provide a baseline against which progress with the implementation and operation of Free Personal Care can be measured, and provide the context for the operation of Free Personal Care since 2002. The study will draw on evidence relating to costs, statistics, social research and the policy context of Free Personal Care.
Scottish Household Survey Topic Report on Unpaid Caring
Contractor: Dudleston-Harkings
Due date: June 2006
Contact: Tom Lamplugh [0131 244 3533]
This project will produce a Scottish Household Survey ( SHS) Topic Report on the subject of unpaid caring in Scotland. The research will involve a broad and in-depth analysis of SHS data and will relate analysis to the broader Scottish policy context.
HEALTH
Evaluation of Well Men Services Pilots
Contractor: Department of Public Health and Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen
Due: November 2006
Contact: Imelda Hametz [0131 244 3740]
The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of well men services pilots funded by SEHD in promoting healthier lifestyles; providing health assessment, advice and support; and effectively engaging men, particularly the hardest to reach due to social exclusion.
MENTAL HEALTH
Evaluation of the First Phase of Choose Life: the National Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent Suicide in Scotland
Contractor: Consortium led by Steve Platt, Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change, University of Edinburgh
Due: July 2006
Contact: Angela Hallam [0131 244 2813]
The evaluation assesses the infrastructure put in place (nationally and locally) to support the implementation of Choose Life, and measures progress towards the milestones identified in the strategy and action plan. It will provide recommendations to guide the second phase of Choose Life to achieve a 20% reduction in suicides in Scotland by 2013.
Evaluation of the Breathing Space Telephone Advice Line and Signposting Service for People Experiencing Low Mood or Depression
Contractor: Scottish Centre for Social Research
Due: April 2006
Contact: Alison Stout [0131 244 5332]
The evaluation assesses the development of the service to date and explores the effectiveness of the communication strategy and the telephone line in terms of reaching the target population of younger men.
National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being: Small Research Projects Initiative
Contractor: up to 10 projects per annum
Due date: Annual competition - first set of projects due to report by March 2006; second set of projects due to report by March 2007
Contact: Angela Hallam [0131 244 2813]
The initiative was established in 2004. It offers funding to small, innovative research projects able to demonstrate a contribution to advancing the agenda of the National Programme in its aims to promote mental health and well-being, eliminate stigma, prevent suicide and support recovery from mental health problems. Projects funded to date are:
First run of competition
- Self-help support groups: a study of their role in recovery from depression
- Implementing a recovery approach in policy and practice (literature review)
- How do community services support well-being?
- User perspectives of self-help and community services
- Evaluation of an initiative to support male survivors of childhood sexual abuse
- Practitioner-rated usefulness of assessment and intervention tools used in relation to looked after children
- Improving outcomes for infants with mothers with post-natal depression
- Mental well-being and behaviour in schools: links between evidence and practice
- Plotting the story of recovery in Scotland, New Zealand and Canada
- Understanding and promoting student mental health in Scottish Higher Education
Second run of competition
- Restart for recovery: an evaluation of the Restart employment project
- Pathways to work? Narrative experiences of people on health-related benefits
- Exploring trainers' and service providers' knowledge and views of recovery competencies
- A qualitative exploration of links between self-harm and suicide in young people
- Mental health problems and medically unexplained physical symptoms in adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse: a literature review and scoping exercise
- An exploration of the Mental Health Support Worker service for those who experience co-morbid health problems
- Raising awareness and promoting positive mental health and mental well-being: the role of peer support
- Young people's views of mental health education in secondary schools
Effectiveness of interventions to prevent suicide and suicidal behaviour: a literature review
Contractors: Wally Barr (Liverpool University) and Maria Leitner (Infotech UK Research
Due date: November 2006
Contact: Alison Stout [0131 244 5332]
The project aims to provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing suicide and suicidal behaviour, both in key risk groups and in the general population.
Forthcoming research
Priorities for Community Care Research include:
1) Research evaluating the Joint Future Agenda.
2) Evaluation of the implementation and operation of the Single Shared Assessment Indicator of Relative Need (formerly the Resource Use measure)
- For further details contact Sarah Campbell [0131 244 5429]
Priorities for Health Research include:
1) Undertaking the 2006 Survey of Public Attitudes to the National Health Service in Scotland
2) Exploring the use of research in the area of patient focus and public involvement.
- For further details contact Imelda Hametz [0131 244 3740]
Priorities for Mental Health Research include:
1) Establishment of a cohort study to explore the experiences of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 by service users, carers and service professionals. This will include people in minority groups currently poorly represented in the relevant evidence base
2) Independent evaluation of the See Me national anti-stigma campaign
3) Undertaking the 2006 national survey of public attitudes to mental health, mental well-being and mental health problems
- For further details contact Angela Hallam [0131 244 2813]
Publications
Scoping study on the needs of, and services for, younger people with physical disabilities and/or early onset dementia
Contractor: Stirling University
A scoping literature review on the needs of younger people with physical disabilities and dementia, and the range and quality of care services provided for them in order to identify key emerging themes and any gaps in the evidence base to inform the development of policy and practice.