University of Exeter joins research initiative to transform mental health support

The University of Exeter is set to play a key role in a new regional hub for pioneering, multi-million-pound mental health research following major investment from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The NIHR has awarded £11 million to establish a new Mental Health Research Group, led by the University of Plymouth.

The group is one of five newly created hubs across England and forms part of a wider £55 million NIHR initiative aimed at ensuring world-class research is delivered within communities that stand to benefit most.

According to the University of Exeter, the new group will shift mental health research beyond traditional clinical settings and into communities across the South West. The programme will focus on locally identified priorities and work in partnership with residents to develop a more proactive and preventative approach to care.

The NIHR Mental Health Research Group at the University of Plymouth will address the specific needs of the local population. Working alongside the University of Exeter and King’s College London, the research will explore ways to create a more balanced system of support and better serve people who currently “fall between the gaps” in existing services.

Professor Iain Long from the University of Exeter who is involved in the research group said: “This is a really exciting development that will bring benefits to mental health services and the mental health of people across the South West and beyond.

The project will bring together researchers in Exeter, Plymouth, and London to increase our shared capacity to do world-class mental health research that will improve the lives of patients and communities where it is most needed.”

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Co-investigator Dr David Francis Hunt added: “At Exeter, we combine mental health research with systems thinking. As mental health needs are becoming increasingly complex, we’re supporting this collaboration to explore how care can become more proactive and better integrated—so support reaches people where they are and gaps don’t widen.”

In its initial phase, the Mental Health Research Group will prioritise support for people with serious mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and university students.

By placing researchers within community and primary care settings, the initiative aims to reach groups that have historically been underrepresented in health research and ensure that future treatments and services are shaped by and for communities in the South West.

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR, stated: “Mental health challenges can be isolating, especially for people in some of our most under-served regions. Community allows us to tackle isolation.

By moving our research focus out of traditional clinical settings and directly into the areas where people live and work, we are driving a fundamental shift toward a more preventative model of care in the community. We are committed to ensuring that the latest innovations and support reach those who need it most, long before they reach a crisis point.”

Research focused on equity in healthcare shows that the South West has specific mental health support needs, which this new funding aims to address. Across the South West Peninsula, an estimated 28,000 people are living with a severe mental illness and 242,000 with common mental health conditions.

The lead of the University of Plymouth’s Mental Health Research Group, Professor Richard Byng, said, “In recent years, our work with local partners has shown there are significant challenges for our health system, as it was not set up to manage the numbers of people coming forward with requests for help. Mental health staff and people seeking support tell us that there are problems which need addressing, such as rejections following referral, repeated assessments and sudden discharges.”

“This programme is well aligned both with the concerns of communities and with NHS policy – our aim is to help mental health services function well for everyone in the future.”

The NIHR Mental Health Research Group at the University of Plymouth combines regional insight with national research expertise through a collaborative approach. The programme was first launched by the NIHR in 2023 under the broader Mental Health Research Initiative to create up to ten Mental Health Research Groups, each funded with up to £11 million over five years.

The scheme targets areas with high mental health needs, limited local research capacity, and low previous involvement in mental health research. In 2024, two full Mental Health Research Group awards were awarded in Bath and Hull, and five additional awards have since been approved for funding.

This is remarkable progress for funding mental health support for regions that have been struggling. Awards like these help unite communities, universities, and local healthcare systems and ensure that research and funding are supporting real-world issues and experiences.

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