Thousands recruited for research aiming to develop new mental health treatments

Some 20,000 people will be recruited to help drive mental health research as part of a £50 million investment by the Government.

The move, which will also include input from people with experience of mental health problems, could aid the development of new therapies.

Officials are hopeful the investment will “do for mental health what has been done in other areas of medicine”, and help turn “cutting-edge science into real breakthroughs”.

Mental health problems are estimated to impact one in four people in England, costing the economy £300 million a year, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The £50 million in Government funding will be used to set up a group of 20,000 volunteers whose data will be used to drive research on how biology is linked to mental health.

Science minister Lord Patrick Vallance said: “Mental health problems blight the lives of millions of people across the country.

“This isn’t something we should just accept. Scientific research has led to breakthroughs that are changing the game for physical problems, like cancer, and heart disease.

“We should be every bit as ambitious for what science can do in tackling mental health challenges as well.”

The investment will also be used to create two projects.

The Industry Alliance Team will support companies and researchers in accessing mental health research facilities and data, while the Lived Experience Industry Partnership will ensure patients and others with experience of mental health problems have input into research.

The funding will be delivered over the coming five years as part of the Government’s Mental Health Goals programme, which is designed to accelerate the development of new treatments and technologies for patients will mental health problems.

Professor Husseini Manji, co-chair of the programme, said: “With this landmark investment, we have the chance to do for mental health what has been done in other areas of medicine – turn cutting-edge science into real breakthroughs that change lives.

“By combining world-class research, powerful data, and the wisdom of lived experience, we will help develop novel therapies truly tailored to patients’ needs.

“By embedding lived experience at the heart of research, we will ensure that new therapies are designed not just to work in theory, but to make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives.

“Our goal is simple: to bring better care to everyone affected by mental health challenges.”

Professor Kathryn Abel, co-chair of the Mental Health Goals programme, said the heart of the project “is a new kind of collaboration” between patients and industry.

She added: “We cannot deliver meaningful progress without industry, and industry cannot succeed without listening to those most affected. This is how we change the system – together.”

Rachel Hastings-Caplan, clinical research policy manager at Rethink Mental Illness, said: “People living with severe mental illness often face limited treatment options and must rely on medications that, while lifesaving, can cause significant side-effects.

“For too long there has been a need for greater investment in mental health research, coupled with improved research infrastructure within the NHS and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience throughout the process.

“We are pleased that Government is addressing these issues with this new initiative, which we hope will ensure mental health treatments that are effective and make a real difference in people’s lives.”