Scottish Mental Health Research Network Launch Event, 26th November 2009 Psychiatric Research in the NHS Prof. John Eagles Royal Cornhill Hospital Aberdeen

Psychiatric Research in the NHS Who should be doing research? Who should be doing research? Organisation / coordination of psychiatric research Organisation / coordination of psychiatric research

Research in the NHS: my background Psychiatric training in Edinburgh, lecturer in Mental Health in Aberdeen, consultant general adult psychiatrist at Royal Cornhill Hospital since 1985 Psychiatric training in Edinburgh, lecturer in Mental Health in Aberdeen, consultant general adult psychiatrist at Royal Cornhill Hospital since 1985 Since 1991, 2 sessions for research / research supervision per week Since 1991, 2 sessions for research / research supervision per week Eclectic topics / butterfly researcher / adult ADD Eclectic topics / butterfly researcher / adult ADD Published papers with 42 different doctors in training Published papers with 42 different doctors in training

Coordinating Psychiatric Research in Scotland Distant Ancestors of SMHRN 1998, with Robin McCreadie, Royal College of Psychiatrists Scottish Division Research Advisory Group (S-DRAG) 1998, with Robin McCreadie, Royal College of Psychiatrists Scottish Division Research Advisory Group (S-DRAG) Clinical research priorities in psychiatry, role of the College in research, coordinate national research projects Clinical research priorities in psychiatry, role of the College in research, coordinate national research projects Comorbidity substance misuse and schizophrenia, BJ Psych 2002, 2003 Comorbidity substance misuse and schizophrenia, BJ Psych 2002, 2003 Scottish Psychiatric Academic Research Collaboration (SPARC), 2001 Scottish Psychiatric Academic Research Collaboration (SPARC), 2001 North Scotland, one funded study on lithium North Scotland, one funded study on lithium Lacked national representation / ownership, infrastructure, resources Lacked national representation / ownership, infrastructure, resources

Who should do psychiatric research? Elitism versus Egalitarianism Psychiatric academics with higher degrees only Psychiatric academics with higher degrees only Anyone connected to mental health services Anyone connected to mental health services What makes a good researcher? What makes a good researcher?

What makes a good researcher? What makes a good cricketer? What makes a good cricketer? Ability Ability Technique Technique Temperament Temperament Application Application

Why has Monty never won a Major? Ability – Excellent Application - Excellent

Why has Monty never won a Major? Technique – does he overswing?

Why has Monty never won a Major? Temperament

What is the ideal researcher’s ATTA? Ability – creative, intelligent, focussed thinker Ability – creative, intelligent, focussed thinker Technique – understands research methods, statistics etc. Technique – understands research methods, statistics etc. Temperament – mix of flair, patience, obsessionality, wish for fame, autistic traits Temperament – mix of flair, patience, obsessionality, wish for fame, autistic traits Application – willing to do the hard yards, see it through to the end Application – willing to do the hard yards, see it through to the end

Who should do research? Anyone can do research, we all have a book in us Anyone can do research, we all have a book in us Maybe we all have an idea for a book, but we couldn’t write it Maybe we all have an idea for a book, but we couldn’t write it The best researchers (who are a rare breed) should be the researchers The best researchers (who are a rare breed) should be the researchers Not necessarily all academics Not necessarily all academics

The way ahead for NHS research? NHS / academic collaboration NHS / academic collaboration Active involvement of (tightly selected) NHS researchers Active involvement of (tightly selected) NHS researchers Note constraints of time and resources Note constraints of time and resources Mechanisms for ideas from the workforce to be taken forward or discarded Mechanisms for ideas from the workforce to be taken forward or discarded SMHRN can hopefully play a major role in helping ideas to become collaborative academic / NHS research projects SMHRN can hopefully play a major role in helping ideas to become collaborative academic / NHS research projects