Published: 24 October 2017

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research is meeting in Parliament on 1st November 2017 to hold a breakfast roundtable on research into mental health and multi-morbidities. The event is titled: How can the UK become a world leader in research into mental health and multi-morbidities to improve outcomes for those affected?

One in four people in the UK experience mental health problems each year [1] and almost half of people with a mental health problem also have a long-term physical health condition [2]. Whilst steps have been taken to ensure NHS services regard mental health and physical conditions with equal priority, research in this area has too often focussed on single conditions in isolation.

The roundtable will be an opportunity to discuss the challenges to furthering research into mental health and multi-morbidities, and hear about the initiatives already being undertaken to support this important area; especially, considering how to deliver better outcomes for those affected. It will bring together perspectives from patients, parliamentarians, and medical research charities working across the field of mental health research, providing further insight into the current landscape.

Chair of the APPG on Medical Research, Chris Green MP commented:

“With mental health problems affecting one in four of us in the UK and nearly half of those individuals also having problems with their physical health, this is an issue with damaging consequences across society.

There are huge opportunities for research to help us better understand mental health and the interplay between mental health and associated multi-morbidities, but to really see an impact on patients and carers across the UK, significant barriers must still be overcome.

Although UK institutions conduct world-leading [3] research into mental health, the £115 million [4] that is invested each year represents a fraction of that spent on researching other major health problems; investment is even less developed for research that also considers associated multi-morbidities.

 This roundtable will consider what immediate options exist to improve research in these important areas, as well as looking at the more complex decisions needed for continued long-term improvement for those affected.”

If you would like more information on this event, please email [email protected].

1. UK Government, 2017. Prime Minister unveils plans to transform mental health support. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-unveils-plans-to-trans.... [Accessed 17 October 2017] 

2. Naylor C, Parsonage M, McDaid D, Knapp M et al., 2012. Long term conditions and mental health – the cost of co-morbidities. London: The King's Fund and Centre for Mental Health.

3. Research Excellence Framework (REF), 2014. Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014: The results. Bristol, UK.

4. MQ: Transforming Mental Health, 2015. MQ Landscape analysis. London: MQ.

By Rohan Bundell