New £10.96m Mental Health Research Initiative Officially Launched in Lincolnshire

The University of Lincoln formally launched the Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research (LUMHR) on Tuesday 3 November. The new initiative brings together researchers, health professionals and communities to tackle mental health inequalities across Lincolnshire. It is funded through the £10.96 million award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Mental Health Research Group (MHRG): Lincoln.

Led by the University, LUMHR aims to strengthen mental health research capability and capacity in the county, and to develop evidence that can inform improvements to services, prevention and support for local people. The NIHR MHRG: Lincoln is one of seven new NIHR MHRGs established across England through a £55 million NIHR investment, designed to strengthen mental health research in areas where there is significant need and historically limited research activity.

The launch brought together researchers, people with lived experience, NHS and public health leaders, local government representatives and community organisations. They explored how research can help address the particular challenges facing Lincolnshire's rural, coastal and more deprived communities. Contributors included Andy Bell, Chief Executive of Centre for Mental Health, who explored the wider picture of mental health inequalities in rural and coastal communities.

Collaboration was a central theme throughout the event, with researchers, health and care organisations and people with lived experience working together so that LUMHR's research is shaped by the people and communities it is intended to benefit. The event also introduced the unit's three core research themes, Connect, Prevent and Respond. These will guide its work to better understand mental health needs and inequalities, explore opportunities for prevention, and strengthen responses to mental health difficulties and crises.

Professor Nima Golijani-Moghaddam, Co-Lead of the Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research at the University of Lincoln, said: "The launch reflected the enthusiasm and shared ambition we've seen among everyone involved so far. We need to strengthen mental health research in Lincolnshire so it responds to local needs and produces reliable evidence that can shape decisions here and beyond.

"We have strong foundations in the new approaches being developed in local services and our experience of working alongside communities. LUMHR gives us the chance to test promising ideas and learn what helps different people and why. People with lived and professional experience are essential to that work, helping us judge what is worth trying and whether it makes a difference in everyday life."

Professor David Dawson, Co-Lead of the Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research at the University of Lincoln, said: "This investment gives Lincolnshire a real opportunity to build on the excellent work taking place across our communities, health and care services, and the voluntary sector. Lived experience will be at the heart of LUMHR, helping to shape the questions we ask and the solutions we develop.

"By bringing together local communities, practitioners and researchers, we aim to build a stronger understanding of what supports good mental health in regions like ours, while generating evidence that can benefit other areas facing similar challenges. Ultimately, our ambition is to ensure that research is grounded in people's experiences and leads to meaningful improvements in their lives and communities."

The unit aims to establish Lincolnshire as a centre for collaborative, community-focused mental health research, creating a lasting foundation for research that can help improve mental health and wellbeing across the county.