Ten changes to transform mental health research
Mental health research has the power to transform lives - yet for too long, it hasn’t had the funding, visibility or urgency it deserves. Many people severely affected by mental illness are still faced with limited treatment options, still experiencing severe side effects from their treatments, and still facing poorer physical health and shorter life expectancy.
In partnership with MQ Mental Health Research, we have engaged different stakeholders, including Experts by Experience, researchers and research funders, to uncover the key barriers that hinder progress in mental health. This report brings together our insights from this engagement and sets out ten essential changes that would reshape the future of mental health research in the UK. These changes are practical, achievable and rooted in real people’s experiences. By acting now, we can build a research system that delivers hope, innovation and better care for everyone.
The ten recommended changes are:
1. Make it easier for people to take part
Too many people - especially those most affected by mental illness - never find out about research opportunities. We need simple, fair and accessible ways for people to find and join studies, including through the NHS, community settings and trusted organisations.
2. Increase funding for mental health research
Mental health research is dramatically underfunded compared to physical health. More public and private investment is needed, especially for developing new treatments that make a real difference to people’s daily lives.
3. Build capacity across the NHS to support research
Staff shortages and overstretched services mean it can be challenging to prioritise research . Protecting staff time, improving infrastructure and enabling more roles to take part in research would help studies run smoothly and reach more people.
4. Tackle stigma preventing people from being offered research opportunities
Stigma still influences who gets referred into research. Clinicians need support, time and confidence to talk about research positively and people with lived experience must be treated as partners, not “subjects”.
5. Make mental health research an attractive career
Early career researchers face insecurity and limited progression. Long-term funding, fair pay and clearer career pathways would help grow a strong, motivated mental health research workforce.
6. Build public trust in how data is used
Many people are wary of sharing their data with organisations but are willing to share their data when they understand how it will help others. Clear communication, transparency and easier access for researchers (with consent) are essential to unlocking the potential of mental health data.
7. Prioritise prevention and early intervention
Mental illness affects every part of life, such as work, housing, relationships and health. Government departments beyond the NHS must play a role in supporting research that helps people get the right support earlier.
8. Turn research breakthroughs into real-world change
New discoveries only matter if they reach people. Better communication, stronger collaboration and a clear path from research to policy and practice are needed to ensure progress doesn’t stay on paper.
9. Use a wider range of research methods
Traditional clinical trials aren’t always the best fit for mental health. More flexible, community-based and participatory research methods can help generate evidence faster and in settings that reflect real life.
10. Strengthen collaboration across the whole sector
Researchers, clinicians, voluntary organisations and Experts by Experience all have a role to play in enabling impactful mental health research but they need support to work together. Lived experience must be embedded in every study, and the voluntary sector must be resourced to contribute fully.
If we want a future where people living with mental illness are met with understanding, effective treatments and real choices, we have to build it together. These ten changes show that progress isn’t just possible, it’s within reach, if we choose to act.