International Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes and Depression (INTERPRET-DD)

Professor Cathy Lloyd leads The International Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes and Depression (INTERPRET-DD) Study, a large global research project in 17 countries which has taken place over the last decade and continues to this day. It has brought together a range of experts including diabetologists, endocrinologists, psychiatrists and psychologists, epidemiologists, and data analysts. INTERPRET-DD aimed to address the continuing challenge of identifying and treating co-morbid diabetes and depression for people with type 2 diabetes. Of particular interest are the potential differences according to setting, population demographics and level of service provision. The results of the study have been widely reported, and examples can be found on our Publications page.

Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care: Research to Inform Realising the Vision

The Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care: a national framework for local action (2021-2026) provides guidance on how to improve palliative and end-of-life care and it is incorporated into the statutory guidance for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). A team at the based at The Open University (Erica Borgstrom, Joanne Jordan, Claire Henry MBE, and Una St Ledger) conducted two related projects to examine how people understand and use the Ambitions Framework. 1. A mapping of the existing use of the framework (funded by NHS England and NHS Improvement) and 2. A deeper exploration of how people make sense and use the Ambitions Framework (funded by Marie Curie). The team have produced two reports from these projects Realising the Ambitions and Ambitions for Palliative and End of Life Care.

Improving Young Mothers’ Wellbeing in West Africa

This OU Open Societal Challenge, a collaboration between researchers at The Open University (Philippa Waterhouse, Ayomide Oluseye, Cathy Lloyd and Rod Earle), University of Cape Coast and the University of Glasgow aims to co-develop, pilot and evaluate a local intervention focused on tackling stigma and supporting the mental wellbeing of young mothers in West Africa. Current work is focused on conducting photovoice with young mothers in the Cape Coast of Ghana to explore their experiences of motherhood as well as their needs and priorities. The project will also conduct stakeholder workshops with community members, educational and health professionals and those working in the media to inform the design of the intervention. Further information about the OSC can be found here.

Interpreters For Mental Health Act Assessments

Sarah Vicary is involved in an NIHR (SSCR) funded project concerning the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) and the impact of interpreter-mediation in Mental Health Act Assessments, decision-making processes to determine admission to mental hospital for which AMHPs have a statutory decision-making role under the Mental Health Act 1983 in England and Wales. Further information can be found on the project’s website.

Ageing Well Public Talk Series

Jitka Vseteckova is the PI and Founder of The Ageing Well Public Talk Series (AWPTS), a novel educational intervention co-produced with and for the public, was founded on the principles of the innovative model, ‘Five Pillars for Ageing Well’ (5P). AWPTS is the result of a public education portfolio developed over 18 years, and the principles of 5P consolidated in a co-produced intervention for disease prevention. AWPTS is a highly adaptable tool for addressing the needs of diverse groups requiring tailored interventions, for instance, heart failure and diabetes, where prevention and sustained self-management are crucial for improving quality of life. The AWPTS portfolio of resources has engaged over 90,000 people globally to-date; our regular feedback confirms that this intervention has increased knowledge of age-related processes, attitudes to health and wellbeing, confidence in self-management and lifestyle choices for healthy ageing among the public as well as practitioners, professionals, and clinicians who support ageing populations in their professional roles. More information can be found on the AWPTS website.

Witness to harm, holding to account

Professor Louise Wallace is a PI for the project ‘Witness to harm, holding to account: Improving patient, family and colleague witnesses’ experiences of Fitness to Practise proceedings: A mixed methods study’. This project aims to understand the experiences of people being a witness in a Fitness to Practise investigation with a focus on cases where the witness may themselves or their family member may have been seriously harmed or died. More information about the project can be found here.

Exploring online therapy as part of standard mental health practice

Andreas Vossler and Naomi Moller are part of a project that seeks to understand the specific potential, benefits, and limitations of online services from the perspectives of both clients and mental health practitioners in the UK. Closing this knowledge gap will allow core training needs of mental health practitioners to be identified and research-based training resources to be provided for the mental health and counselling workforce in the UK. More information on this project can be found here.