CLAHRC EM researcher up for top mental health award

The Honorary Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology is part of a team made up of clinical psychologists and a technology business partner which are finalists in the Mental Health Innovation of the Year category of the 2019 HSJ Awards.

The project involves supporting people to stay well after psychological therapy using smart messaging. People are asked what advice they would want if in future they were doing well, experiencing early warning signs of problems or not doing well at all.

They were asked by text-message to rate their wellbeing each week. They then receive personalised advice that they had written, matched to their level of wellbeing.

Dr Malins and his clinical team have been evaluating this scheme in an NHS service, where there is evidence that users can have greater long-term improvements than those who do not.

It has also led to participants being eight times more likely to complete group therapy.

Dr Malins, who is employed by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, worked with Simple Telehealth on the project.

He said: “We are all thrilled and honoured to be shortlisted for an HSJ Award. As researchers, we aim to find, test and establish ways to improve care in the NHS. To be recognised like this is a massive bonus.”

The awards ceremony takes place at Battersea Evolution in London on November 6.

CLAHRC EM has got pedigree in this category, after being part of a winning entry in last year’s award led by East Midlands Academic Health Science Network for the QbTest, which has been transforming ADHD care across the region. 

Here’s hoping for a repeat of last year’s HSJ win.