Edge Hill University will look at mental health of Wigan's young people after securing £2.5m grant

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) announced the huge grant for Edge Hill University.

It will be used establish a research project designed to engage with local health, public health and social care systems.

The focus will be on Wigan, St Helens and Knowsley, plus the wider North West, where there are large numbers of people with mental health conditions, limited local mental health research and low participation in research studies.

It is hoped as more people take part in mental health research, it will improve diversity in research studies and lead to better treatment and support for children and young people.

Project lead and professor of primary care Greg Irving said: “Children and young people in the North West face considerable mental health challenges.

“Anxiety and depression rates exceed national averages, hospital admissions for mental health conditions among under 18s and self-harm rates in the North West are among the highest in the country, primary and secondary care services are overwhelmed and efforts to improve community mental health services for this group are hindered by financial constraints and service cuts.

“Everyone should be able to access the mental health support they need regardless of where they live. This new mental health research will ultimately help to reduce health inequalities because we’ll have a better understanding of the causes of poor mental health and be able to tackle the issue in the places where people are most affected.”

The project, supported by University of Liverpool, University of Manchester and the NIHR North West Coast Applied Research Collaboration, will establish a centre of excellence for mental health asset-based community interventions.

It will serve as a hub for pioneering interventions and providing essential support to tackle complex mental health challenges.

Edge Hill University was awarded funding under NIHR’s Mental Health Leadership Award as part of a £27m investment in mental health research.

Prof Lucy Chappell, CEO of NIHR, said: “These mental health research groups will target the mental health research to the areas that need it most, meaning we can quickly start to make a real difference in key areas such as young people’s mental health and addiction.”