This NIHR funded Programme aims to help primary care and community based mental health services work more closely together by developing a system of collaborative care based in GP surgeries for people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The research team in Devon is led by Professor Richard Byng (University of Plymouth) and Professor Nicky Britten (University of Exeter) and supported by a number of additional researchers (study team). The project is being undertaken in collaboration with Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
This multi-site study has the potential to impact significantly on the future care of people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
An important feature of the programme is its commitment to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and the importance of service user perspectives. These important contributions will weave through the whole programme, and feed directly into each work package through a combination of service user researchers’, lived experience research panels and PPI co-ordinators working across the three sites.
This research is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South West Peninsula (PenARC).