NIHR Mental Health Research Leader Award at the University of Cumbria

1.1 Mental health research at University of Cumbria The University of Cumbria (UOC), established in 2007, has three main campuses and five institutes, including the Institute of Health (IoH) which provides a range of professional courses across multiple disciplines. However, IoH s research focus and related outputs are less well developed, reflected in REF 2021 where only 11 staff members were returned under UOA3 (five have since retired); none related to mental health. IoH established a Centre for Research in Health and Society in 2018 which is being discontinued in favour of targeted research hubs, including one on mental health (MH). The timing of this mental health leaders award therefore is welcomed. Moreover, applied MH research at UOC is scarce, considering the MH burden in Cumbria, and in early development compared to other established HEIs. We have very limited capacity in researchers with a substantive focus on applied MH research, having only one very recently appointed FTE senior MH academic and one ARC fellow with a wider remit of inequalities. We also lack visibility in Cumbria for MH research and have no dedicated centre. This substantially limits our scope to grow a pipeline of future researchers in applied MH research, resulting in staff recruitment and retention problems since UOC s inception. Despite this, UOC aspires to establish applied MH research. 1.2 Motivation for an MHLA The UOC is committed to growing our research identity. Our Towards 2030 strategy[1] describes our intention to address region- and demand-led opportunities; to accelerate and increase expertise exported nationally and internationally; to co-create and apply new knowledge and practice through applied research. In line with this, several key appointments are imminent, including a Pro VC Research. Our exciting collaboration with Imperial College London to establish a medical school in Cumbria will offer significant opportunities to grow our interprofessional clinical academy. This demonstrates our ambition to invest in key research areas reflecting the needs of our local communities and partners, including NHS Trusts. Increasingly we recognise that the inequalities associated with living in deprived rural/coastal communities in Cumbria, must be high on our agenda to explore specific and unique needs, innovative and creative ways of working and creative, co-produced and targeted solutions. MH and associated inequalities must be at the heart of this work to support those who live and work in Cumbria. In workshops, community groups and people with lived experience of MH conditions highlighted the need for research on prevention and management of common mental disorders. People with lived experience expressed motivation to be part of research to reduce the burden of MH in Cumbria. Additionally, local partners highlighted the need for place-based approaches that address the challenges of where people live and draw on community-based assets and intelligence. There are early conversations at UOC around applied MH work to address these gaps and provide the foundation for prioritising and working up co-produced scoping exercises and studies, evaluations and interventions. Potential research areas might include autism, learning difficulties and MH; MH crisis in the community compounded by remoteness and access problems; and the needs of children and young people. Emerging study methodologies reflect experience in evidence synthesis; qualitative studies; pilot and feasibility studies; smaller-scale evaluations and participatory action research. Underpinning these early research ambitions and priorities, will be areas that transcend them including inequalities, PPI and co-creation, involving creative methodologies, implementation science, early career development, leadership, and policy and impact (See figure 1). Our work on children and young people s mental health will utilise and build upon mixed methodologies and academic expertise