Our research team works with national and international collaborators in a variety of professional backgrounds. We aim to provide benefits to patients and vulnerable people who suffer from mental health issues through high-quality research, development, and consultancy.We involve practitioners, service users, and community partners. A key aspect of our research is working with vulnerable people and communities, mental health in ageing populations, coercion and safety, service user involvement and partnership working.Through research we aim:To raise the profile of mental health-related research at UCLan by promoting collaborative work between academics, professionals in health and social care, service users, carers and the wider communityTo increase the quality and breadth of research on mental health at UCLan by developing the capacity and capability of researchers and research partnersTo form a better understanding of the nature of mental health, illness and recovery and the conflicting demands on good mental health and social care. This is achieved through high-quality research, development and consultancy that span a number of themes.Key aimsThe key aims of this research group are:To ensure the profile of mental health-related research is raised and that collaborations are formed between multi-disciplinary academic, professionals in health and social care, service users, carers and the wider community.To increase the quality and breadth of research on mental health at UCLan by developing the capacity and capability of researchers and our academic, clinical and research partners.To form a better understanding of the nature of mental health, illness and recovery and the conflicting demands on good mental health and social care.To develop knowledge, explore insights and generate solutions that will improve the provision of mental health services and the evidence-based interventions provided within them.Our aims are achieved through high-quality research, development and consultancy that span a number of broad areas.Participation, co-production and democracy in Mental HealthEvidence-based Interventions in Mental HealthPhilosophy and Mental HealthMental Health and Criminal JusticeArts, Heritage and Mental HealthResearchMental health researchers make an integral contribution to university-wide interdisciplinary work, notably exemplified within the two Institutes, the Lancashire Research Institute for Global Health and Wellbeing and the Lancashire Research Institute of Citizenship, Society and Change, and other centres of research endeavour such as: the UCLan Criminal Justice Partnership, the Centre for Citizenship and Community.Within this research theme, we pride ourselves on interdisciplinary perspectives and the involvement of practitioner, service user and community partners.We especially value patient and public involvement (PPI) in all our research endeavours and the inclusion of people with lived experience of mental health, service use and carer experiences.We adopt and have experience and expertise in using a variety of robust research methodological approaches including: quantitative, qualitative and health research.Our activity brings together interested and active parties who focus their research endeavours in the field of mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan, critique of aspects of standard mental health care and exploration of alternatives.We are committed to providing a focus for research and research leadership in mental health across the University and promotion of a co-ordinated and collaborative approach both within UCLan and with external partners.