Our Aims

The Psychosis Research Unit our aims are to produce world-class research that will lead to new and innovative strategies for reducing the distress experienced by people with psychosis and young people with emerging psychological difficulties. Our key research themes are early intervention and prevention of psychosis and other mental health problems, promoting treatment choice, reducing stigma and facilitating recovery. We place a very high value on collaborative working with service-users and encourage research that promotes their respect and dignity. We are committed to working honestly and with integrity in all our research in order to achieve our core values of hope, choice and recovery. We are committed to evidence-based practice and empowering service-users to achieve goals which are meaningful to them and to make informed choices about their care.

Objectives

1. To develop and evaluate new psychosocial treatments for distressing and or psychotic experiences and prevention of emerging psychological difficulties.
2. To promote treatment choice for service users and carers by establishing evidence to allow informed choice and by conducting research on preferences, priorities and meaningful outcomes.
3. To ensure user involvement is embedded within all aspects of the research undertaken at PRU, including in setting research priorities and specifying research questions, designing and conducting research studies and disseminating research findings.
4. To prioritise research with a particular emphasis on prevention, social inclusion and reduction of stigma.
5. To provide a focus for the development and implementation of quality psychosocial research and development across all disciplines and professions and to ensure translation of research into clinical practice through the engagement of key stakeholders, including service users and carers, clinicians, commissioners and policy makers.
6. To obtain external funding for research, particularly though recognised funding bodies such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
7. To disseminate our research and enhance the Trust’s reputation and research profile through national and international networking, prestigious publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.