New doctoral training programme will train future Midlands Mental Health Professionals
A first-of-its-kind Midlands-based Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) training future healthcare professionals working in mental health and neurosciences is now open for applicants.
Brand new to the Midlands region, the DTP will establish a Mental Health and Neurosciences PhD Programme for Healthcare Professionals to develop the next generation of NHS research leaders.
Professor Matthew Broome, Director of the Institute for Mental Health at the University of Birmingham, said: “The training centre will provide research opportunities not just to psychologists and psychiatrists but to any clinical profession in mental health. By training the next generation of mental health researchers, we hope to benefit mental health services and our patients across the Midlands.”
Wellcome has awarded over £7.24 million to the University of Nottingham to establish the programme in collaboration with the Universities of Leicester, Birmingham and Warwick and several NHS Trusts in the Midlands, including Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.
The unique partnership will lead the innovative multidisciplinary training centre, which will begin its training programme in October 2022. The programme aims to increase research in mental health and address health inequalities in mental health services.
“Our population in the Midlands suffers from significant health inequalities,” added Professor Broome, “with high rates of mental health challenges. This training centre is a huge opportunity to address these challenges, increase our research capacity in mental health and neuroscience, and develop a diverse group of clinical academics from a wide range of professional groups, including nursing, social work, occupational therapy, pharmacy, medicine, and psychology.”
The scheme gives mental health professionals the opportunity to carry out a PhD at a clinical salary, allowing clinicians to carry out vital research which could benefit mental health services. Scholars will leave the programme as well-rounded clinical academics with high levels of Mental health research acumen, and enhanced communication and leadership skills.
Professor Roshan das Nair from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham and the Institute of Mental Health, is the Director of the Centre. He said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this award, which is a huge achievement for our four universities and the NHS Trusts with whom we work, and is a testament to teamwork. Our Doctoral Training Programme will advance the mental health and neuroscience research we conduct here in the Midlands.
“Our Doctoral Training Programme will create an ambitious Midlands-based, internationally connected, clinical-academic ecosystem. Through our collaborations, we hope to address the key contemporary mental health challenges our societies face.”
Interested in taking part in the programme? Visit the Birmingham Health Partners website for information on how to apply.
Please note that the closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 21 January 2022.