Five new funding awards help researchers turn results into action
A look at the research projects receiving funding in our latest round of Changing Policy and Practice awards.
We’re thrilled to be funding five new research projects through our latest round of Changing Policy and Practice awards. The projects contribute to improving the lives of young people, as well as those with autism, limb loss and a range of mental health conditions, including eating disorders.
Medical research is only worthwhile if its results can directly influence public policy and improve the way patients are diagnosed and treated. This is where our Changing Policy and Practice (CPP) awards come in.
Twice a year, we provide Foundation- or Medical Research Council (MRC)-funded researchers with grants to maximise the real-world impact of their research. This involves sharing their findings and recommendations with a range of stakeholders, including patients, healthcare practitioners and policymakers, to turn medical research into action.
Read about the five new projects below.
Tailored eating disorder care for neurodivergent people
Professor Kate Tchanturia and her team at King’s College London will produce a digital toolkit, providing clinicians with practical resources for tailoring eating disorder healthcare to neurodivergent people. This will build on their previous Foundation-funded research where they developed the ‘Pathway for Eating disorders and Autism developed from Clinical Experience’, or ‘PEACE’ pathway.
Better remote care for people with eating disorders
Dr Dawn Branley-Bell and her team within the Psychology and Communication Technology Lab at Northumbria University will develop practical recommendations for embedding remote treatment into a national strategy for eating disorder care. Through the ENACT-ED project, the team will conduct policy meetings with key stakeholders to develop practical recommendations for healthcare services, and enhance public awareness with an engaging social media campaign.
Improving support for young people to manage their emotions
Working closely with young people, Professor Aja Murray and her team at the University of Edinburgh will develop resources which will help them to learn, practise and develop their emotion regulation skills. This is particularly important for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who often find it especially challenging to recognise and regulate their own feelings.
Improving access to mental health professionals in Nigeria
Dr Emmanuel Essien from the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria and Dr Mariana Pinto da Costa from King’s College London will lead a national campaign to strengthen Nigeria’s mental health workforce. This will build on their previous research showing that low pay, poor working conditions and limited career opportunities drive the emigration of mental health professionals, leaving more than 90% of people without the support they need.
Enhancing rehabilitation services for people living with limb loss in Uganda
Professor Louise Ackers from the University of Salford and Dr Raymond Tweheyo from Makerere University in Uganda will support the implementation of Uganda’s first ever national strategic rehabilitation plan for people with limb loss or damage. This will not only provide much-needed support for amputees, but it also aims to reduce the number of amputations through preventative programmes which address the root causes. These can range from diabetes to road traffic accidents and domestic violence.
Read more about Professor Ackers' and Dr Tweheyo's CPP project