The Trust’s annual Research and Innovation Conference took place on 3 December at the Charterhouse Square Campus of Queen Mary, University of London. It was an opportunity to hear about 12 studies underway in the Trust in one afternoon. Researchers had ten minutes to present an overview of their work, early findings and take questions.
Studies ranged from how to effectively engage people with serious mental illness to improve their cardiometabolic health (it has to be fun and the food needs to be tasty!), absentee issues for children with ADHD (worried their parents will be sent to jail but can’t cope in the classroom), to determining the content for programmes to support families with a child with complex neurodiversity, the impact of social media use in pre-adolescents, the evidence for the effectiveness of psychedelic therapy and much more. As always, it was a chance to mill around viewing posters and data, and to network and talk to researchers about their observations and discoveries.
The conference culminated with a panel discussion with Dr Paul Gilluley (Chief Medical Officer at NEL ICS), Lynis Lewis (Director of Research at Noclor), Professor Frank Röhricht (ELFT’s Associate Medical Director Research & Innovation) and Professor Liz Sampson (Professor of Liaison Psychiatry at UCL)
If you missed it, a recording of the event will soon be available at https://www.elft.nhs.uk/research/about-us/research-innovation-elft
ELFT's Associate Director of Research Retires
This year's Conference was the perfect moment to acknowledge the departure of Karin Albani, ELFT’s Associate Director of Research and her considerable contribution to the Trust over 20 years. Professor Frank Röhricht said, “Karin has been pivotal in transforming R&I into a strong and respected corporate function, ensured our work was grounded in solid and responsible financial management, and supported many team members at every stage of their career development.”
When she came in 2005, Karin was the first person to be in this post (there are now 10 staff in the R&I team plus a support service partnership with Noclor) and has played a crucial role in ensuring that research in ELFT was and is, on the map. She has supported researchers in the Trust to get the necessary support for their work, provided guidance on the myriad of processes that good research needs to go through, and has been the 'go-to' person for so many in the Trust and externally too. Although often in the background, she was very much the 'power behind the throne' which ensured that ELFT has punched above its weight in national and international research. She has supported and championed creative and innovative studies which have resulted in genuine improvements in the care and management of patients and service users.
Chief Medical Officer, David Bridle added, “Her extraordinary accuracy with policies, procedures, and overall governance compliance made her something of a legend. She always knew the rulebook inside out and helped us managing several very challenging and fundamental changes in the national R&I landscape. We will deeply miss her wisdom, warmth, humour, and steady presence, and wish her all the best as she begins this well-deserved new chapter.”
New Head of Research
Merve Dilgul, has been appointed as the new Head of Research. Merve has a PhD and over 13 years’ experience in project management, NHS research and academia. She joined ELFT in 2021 as a Research Delivery Manager so knows research in Trust inside out.
She has had a central role in supporting the delivery of studies in ELFT and has significantly increased the opportunities for staff and service users to participate in relevant research. She has proactively sourced new studies, collaborating with relevant Trust clinicians to assess feasibility, coordinating and implementing study set-up efficiently, monitoring and ensuring the successful progress of studies. She has overseen the successful setup and completion of over two hundred studies. So research in ELFT is in good hands as we go forward.
If you have a healthcare improvement idea, or want to learn more about research at ELFT, please see a wealth of information at www.elft.nhs.uk/research or contact the R&I team at elft.researchoffice@nhs.net