Mental Health Nursing Research

NHS England is initiating a project to develop a Demand Signal specific to the practice of mental health nursing. The demand signalling process determines evidence gaps and detailed research questions in relation to a specific area, in this case, the scope of practice of mental health nursing in England for children, young people and adults.

Further information about demand signalling and recent demand signals published by NHSE can be found here.

This demand signal is part of a broader programme of work to implement the Chief Nursing Officer for England’s Strategic Plan for Research (link here) and the work programme led by the Deputy Director – Mental Health Nursing. A demand signalling process involves stakeholders from across the health and care system, including clinical practitioners, researchers, relevant NHSE policy leads, voluntary and community sector organisations and those with lived experience.

As mental health leaders in social care, NHS England would like to invite you to participate in their workshops to help inform the development of priority research questions. It would be really helpful to have representation across all three workshops.  

NHS England will facilitate three separate workshops focusing on the three key themes highlighted by the Chief Nursing Officer for England’s Professional Nursing & Midwifery Strategy:

• Workshop 1a on 18 January 2023, 10:25 – 13:30 hrs: Health equality, prevention and population health management 
• Workshop 1b on 25 January 2023, 10:25 – 13:30 hrs: Person-centred practice and improving outcomes 
• Workshop 1c on 31 January 2023, 10:25 – 13:30 hrs: Workforce and People and Culture

All workshops will be facilitated via MS Teams.

NHS England want to ensure that the voice and expertise of mental health nurses are in the shared decision-making council, so please consider putting yourself forward.

Please indicate using the form which workshop you wish to participate in, providing your area of expertise in mental health nursing, your name, organisation and contact email address. You may participate in more than one workshop if you have identified expertise in the area of mental health nursing. 

During the workshops, participants will discuss and then vote on the top five key areas in each theme for research development for researchers and funders; a rapid review to identify gaps will be commissioned, and you will be invited to a subsequent second workshop  – the date expected to be May 2023.

Register your interest in the workshops here.