Research

Our staff come from varied backgrounds including nursing, psychiatry, allied health professions, research assistants and administrative staff.

• Director of Research and Innovation: Dr Richard Laugharne
• Research Manager: Benjamin Hyams
• Assistant Research Manager: Joanna Ledger

The Research Team is developing a network of research champions across all services offered by the Trust. The role of research champions to help inform patients and colleagues on how they can get involved in research.

To express an interest in the role, email the Team or call us on 01209 204 020.

Be Part of Research

The Be Part of Research website can be used to find a study you may want to take part in. You can use the website to find a study that sounds right for you. You can also create a free account and choose the areas of health and care you are interested in. Information on studies that match your chosen interests will then be sent to you.

Clinical trials

The National Institute for Health and Care Research has information on clinical trials, including what to consider if you are interested in taking part in health research.

Dementia research

The National Institute of Health Research maintain a register of people interested in taking part in research studies about dementia.

Public involvement in research

There are opportunities for members of the public to get actively involved in research, such as identifying priorities for research, aiding development of clear information about research, interviewing research participants and carrying out some research activities.

• People In Research public involvement
• People In Research opportunities

Before we can support a new project, we need to know if it classifies as research. Sometimes, a project you'd like to do might come under a different title such as an audit, quality improvement or service evaluation. The Health Research Authority have an easy-to-use tool that can help you identify what your research project might be.

If your project is anything other than research, you will need to register with our Audit Team. You may also be able to access support from QIdeas.

If you are a nurse or allied health professional, you may be able to get support with your project from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust Clinical School. They can help with advice and support on your project.

If the Health Research Authority tool confirms that your project is research, contact the Research Team using the details at the top of this page. You can also access help and support from the NIHR Research Support Service.

Our Research Team is funded to deliver research projects from the national NIHR portfolio and other funded projects and workstreams. We do not offer a funded or comprehensive support service for aspiring researchers but will do our best to support you.

NHS Health Research Authority

The NHS Health Research Authority provides information on how the rights, safety, dignity and wellbeing of research participants are protected in NHS research.

Read information on the research approval process required by the Health Research Authority for all proposed NHS research in England and Wales.

National Institute of Health Research

The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) offer research and clinical staff a range of training courses to support good practice and the ethical delivery of research:

• health and care professionals learning and support
• NIHR academy

Research Design Service South West

Research Design Service South West provides researchers with support and guidance to help ensure that ethical standards are embedded in research design.

South West Clinical School

The South West Clinical School in Cornwall is a partnership between the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Plymouth. It exists to promote evidence-based practice, develop clinically focussed non-medical research programmes that enhances patient care. As well as growing and nurturing clinical academic pathway opportunities and careers.

UK policy framework for health and social care research

The UK policy framework for health and social care research sets out principles of good practice in the management and conduct of health and social care research in the UK.

The Research Team is developing a network of research champions across all services offered by the Trust. The role of a research champion is to help inform patients and colleagues on how they can get involved in research.

To express an interest in the role, contact the team using the details at the top of this page.

Developing your research skills and experience

The National Institute for Health and Care Research offers advice and resources to NHS staff interested in getting more involved with research.

Good Clinical Practice

Good Clinical Practice is the agreed international standard for conducting clinical research. The UK Policy Framework for Health and Social Care Research sets out principles of good practice in the management and conduct of health and social care research in the UK.

As a Trust, we also require a research CV. Complete our CV template (DOCX, 18 KB) if you are interested in supporting research at the Trust.

Research Ideas Group

The Research Ideas Group is a joint venture between the Trust, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Research Design Service South West, Plymouth University Clinical School and the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. Healthcare staff are invited to submit a research idea through the Cornwall Health Library website which will then be allocated to the most appropriate health research team for follow-up.

• Research strategic delivery plan 2023-27 (PDF, 303 KB)

• Spring 2025 Research Team newsletter (PDF, 266 KB).
• Autumn 2024 Research Team newsletter (PDF, 612 KB).
• Summer 2024 Research Team newsletter (PDF, 336 KB).

Research Team register

Our Research Team maintains a register of people who are interested in health research. Signing up to the register does not mean that you are committed to participating in a research study but that you agree to be contacted and informed of research studies that may be of interest to you. Once you have heard of a study you will then be given time to decide if you would like to participate.

You can register by completing the online form below, or if you prefer to print out a form to sign and return to us by post.

• Research register consent form (DOCX, 54 KB)

Online research requester request form

I would like to provide my personal details so that I can be contacted about research studies that I may be eligible to take part in. It is then my decision to choose to take part in the research. I understand that the information I provide will be kept secure, and only be accessed by the Research Team.

Research Register

Note: Questions marked by * are mandatory

*This is a mandatory field. First name

*This is a mandatory field. Surname

Landline

Mobile

Email

*This is a mandatory field. Date of birth

Gender

Male
Female
Not specified
Not known

Are you

Service User
Carer
Other

How would you like to be contacted?

Landline
Mobile
Email

If you are happy to share this detail, do you have a diagnosis for a mental illness?

* Spam Guard: Do fish swim in the sea or sky?

We aim for participants in any many research studies as possible to receive feedback from the study sponsors about the results of the trials to which they have contributed.

Below are links to a range of published articles about research studies which have now been completed.

Research into COVID-19

• Protection against SARS-CoV-2 after COVID-19 vaccination and previous infection (PDF, 592 KB)
• Impact of lockdown relaxation and implementation of the face-covering policy on mental health: A UK COVID-19 study.
• Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic: Protocol and results of first 3 weeks from an international cross-section survey and focus on health professionals.

Research into mental health conditions and services

• Carers’ and service users’ experiences of early intervention in psychosis services: implications for care partnerships: Exploring the experience of the users of early intervention in psychosis services and their carers.
• Assertive responding to voices (APPROVE) study: Results of research into voice-hearing in psychosis, and finalised questionnaires measuring assertive responding to distressing voices, and assertive responding to other people.
• Cultural adaptations in clinical interactions summary of results: Research exploring perceptions of how mental health clinicians in England adapt their approach for patients of different ethnic backgrounds.
• Comparing differing approaches to providing psychiatry input to inpatient and community mental health services.
• Lifestyle education groups for people with schizophrenia aiming to support weight reduction and improve diet and physical activity levels.
• Stepwise article
• Desperately seeking outcomes quantifying the effectiveness of community mental healthcare using health of the nation outcome scales: Use of the Health of the National Outcome Scales to measure effectiveness of community mental healthcare.
• Mental health professionals and media professionals a survey of attitudes towards one another: Exploring media portrayals of mental illness and the effects of media and mental health awareness training on healthcare and media staff.
• Exploring the effects of community treatment orders for people with psychosis.
• Abnormal cortical asymmetry as a target for neuromodulation in neuropsychiatric disorders: A narrative review and concept proposal: A review of the evidence for new non-invasive brain stimulation treatments of disorders including epilepsy, ADHD and schizophrenia.
• The Need of Doctors for safe confessional and cathartic spaces (book chapter).
• Building theory to evaluate a collaborative care intervention for people with psychosis in England.
• The importance of storytelling within medical and health provision and education to help understand the individual human aspect of health provision (book chapter).
• Preferences for group arts therapies: a cross-sectional survey of mental health patients and the general population.
• Effect of digital psycho education and peer support on the mental health of family carers supporting individuals with psychosis in England (COPe-support): a randomised clinical trial.
• Mental health and caregiving experiences of family carers supporting people with psychosis
• Perceived acceptability and experiences of a digital psychoeducation and peer support intervention (COPe-support): Interview study with carers supporting individuals with psychosis.

Research into epilepsy

• Frequency and factors associated with emergency department attendance for people with epilepsy in a rural UK population

Perampanel

• Perampanel paper
• Perampanel (Dutch paper)
• European perspective of perampanel response in people with intellectual disability (PDF, 569 KB)

Lacosamide

• Lacosamide paper 2020 (PDF, 407 KB)

A review of interventions to reduce unnecessary attendance of people with epilepsy at emergency departments:

• Exploring epilepsy attendance at the emergency department and interventions which may reduce unnecessary attendances (PDF, 278 KB)

Research into learning disabilities (intellectual disabilities)

A review of the literature into factors influencing discharge from hospital or institutional care to enable successful community living for people with learning disabilities:

• Creating capable communities for people with intellectual disabilities challenges and opportunities (PDF, 817 KB)

The summary of recruiting studies (PDF, 193 KB) provides a brief summary of studies currently recruiting in Cornwall, with contact details for each study. Some studies have very broad criteria and are open to a wide range of the population, whereas other studies have very specific criteria for who may be eligible.

We're happy to consider studies in any areas, get in touch with the team for more information.