Lancaster University has been awarded almost £11 million pounds for pioneering mental health research following a major investment by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Lancaster has been chosen as one of five newly created Mental Health Research Groups (MHRG) across England as part of a wider £55 million NIHR initiative designed to ensure that world-class research is conducted in the heart of the communities that stand to benefit most.

Evidence shows that Lancashire has specific mental health support needs, and this new funding aims to tackle those needs. More than 13,000 people in Lancashire and South Cumbria have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, while Blackpool has the highest rate of deaths linked to addiction and suicide in England.

The new group will move mental health research out of traditional clinical settings and directly into Lancashire and South Cumbria, focusing on locally identified priorities and working alongside residents to develop a more proactive, preventative model of care.

Dr Jasper Palmier-Claus, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and joint lead of the NIHR MHRG at Lancaster University, said: “This award will be fantastic for addressing unmet complex mental health needs in underserved groups in the northwest and in creating a step change in mental health research quality and reach in this region.”

The NIHR MHRG at Lancaster University will focus specifically on the unique needs of the local population. In partnership with the University of Manchester and King’s College London, the researchers will create a Voices with Impact Hub to destigmatise mental health conditions and support and involve people who rarely take part in research. They will explore ways to support people with severe and complex mental health needs, particularly mothers, and people suffering from substance abuse, whilst also encouraging attendance at GP health checks.

Professor Steven Jones, Professor of Clinical Psychology and joint lead of the Lancaster NIHR MHRG said: “People with complex mental health challenges need more accessible effective support that seeks to address their priorities and needs. This funding will enable us to work at scale across research and practice to codesign, test and implement new inclusive interventions in partnership with people with lived experience to improve mental health outcomes in the northwest.”

By embedding researchers within local community groups and primary care services, the initiative aims to reach people who have historically been under-represented in health studies, ensuring that future treatments and services are designed by—and for—the people of Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, said: “Mental health challenges can be isolating, especially for people in some of our most under-served regions. Community allows us to tackle isolation. By moving our research focus out of traditional clinical settings and directly into the areas where people live and work, we are driving a fundamental shift toward a more preventative model of care in the community. We are committed to ensuring that the latest innovations and support reach those who need it most, long before they reach a crisis point.”

Other universities that will host the new MHRGs include Plymouth, Keele, Lincoln and Huddersfield.