CIDER – Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research
Enhancing the care of people with intellectual disability through research and service development

Formally launched in October 2018 and led by Professor Rohit Shankar, The Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research (CIDER), is a partnership between the University of Plymouth and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CFT) focusing on people with intellectual disabilities.
Activity areas
1. Research: the CIDER Centre – asking research questions and seeking the evidence we need to improve care and treatment.
2. Observatory: collating and analysing data on people with intellectual disabilities.
3. Policy: putting into practice what we have learned from research and observation. Suggesting solutions to NHS England, Local Authorities and NHS Trusts from the evidence.
4. Training: leading and supporting people training as doctors, nurses and other health professions in caring and treating people with learning disabilities.
5. Co-production: putting people and carers at the centre of everything we do.
Current work
I. The study of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). This has included:
A. case control studies on risk factors
B. the development and evaluation of a risk checklist for SUDEP
C. the development of an app EpsMon to monitor current risk for patients
II. The initiation and development of a disease specific register or cohort of people with comorbid ID and epilepsy. With this register we are examining responsiveness to different anti epileptic drugs in this group. This study has been adopted on the portfolio of the NIHR and has therefore become a national register
III. The collection of DNA samples for this group to a biobank at the University of Exeter. This will enable genetic and epigenetic research for this group
IV. The publication of national guidelines for the treatment of epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities, published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Projects
Awards
University of Plymouth collaborators
External collaborators - academic:
Life Science Industry:
Charities and clinical networks:
SMEs:
Successful grants for research, innovation and educational activities (2016-2021)
Publications (2016 - 2021)
Professor Rohit Shankar MBE, FRCPsych: I have 87 PubMed referenced papers in the period of 2016-2020 (career total: 145) and 5 book chapters. I have Chaired 3 Royal College of Psychiatrists College Reports CR203, 206 & 226 and Step Together. I have named contribution to NHS England & NHS RightCare epilepsy strategy reports. All publications listed in ORCID.
Alternate depository resources: