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Forensic

Head of Section: Professor Conor Duggan

Forensic mental health research covers the understanding, assessment, and treatment of people with personality disorders, focusing on those who offend.

We have many research interests which include understanding the links between personality disorder and dysfunction, including offending and prediction, management and treatment of violent behaviour.

We are also interested in social problem solving theory and therapy, neurobiological bases of personality disorder, Assessment and treatment of alcohol-related violence, anger in relation to violence, antisocial and psychopathic disorders, risk assessment and prediction, readiness for treatment, naturalistic follow-up studies examining the course of mentally disordered offenders, organisational aspects of forensic services provision, single case research methodologies and treatment design, development and evaluation.

The Forensic Section has strong links between the University of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust which include links with the Personality Disorder Institute, Peaks Academic Research Unit (PARU), Literature and Evidence Research Unit, Arnold Lodge Secure Unit and Mandala Centre.

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Children and Young People

Head of Section: Professor Chris Hollis

Research in child and adolescent mental health and paediatric psychology is an area of major strength in Nottingham. Key research themes include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Groom, Hollis & Sayal), Tourette Syndrome (Jackson & Hollis), developmental epidemiology and trials (Glazebrook, Hollis & Sayal), and behavioural aspects of child health (Glazebrook & Tischler).

The Section leads on the Children and Young People’s theme in the CLAHRC, focusing on translational research around treatment outcomes, ADHD and disruptive behaviours, and physical activity and exercise. Local clinical research networks include the ADHD Managed Innovation Network and the East Midlands Paediatric Psychopharmacology Group. We have close links with the East Midlands Hub of the Mental Health Research Network and lead on the national MHRN ADHD Clinical Research Group. We have an international reputation in research implementation in this field with Institute members taking leadership roles in U.K. and European Guideline groups (NICE and Eunethydis).

This section acts as a focus for DH and NIHR bids and provides an inter-disciplinary framework for PhD students.

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Service Evaluation & Clinical Trials

Head of Section: Professor Ruth McDonald

The Service Evaluation and Clinical Trials section is largely concerned with the clinical and cost effectiveness of all types of treatment and service provision, identifying barriers to the implementation of these treatments in clinical practice.

A multimethod and multidisciplinary approach has been adopted using the MRC complex interventions framework as a starting point.

The section liaises closely with the Mental Health Research Network via the East Midlands Hub, the Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Nottingham, the School of Community Health Sciences and the East Midlands/South Yorkshire primary care research network as well as clinical services in the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

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Learning & Teaching Committee

Head of Section: Professor Patrick Callaghan

The Learning and Teaching Section offers multi-professional, postgraduate education designed to enhance graduates' capability to lead and deliver services that promote mental health, well being and social inclusion, enable people to recover from mental distress, and ensure that mental health professionals remain fit for practice.

The division works in partnership with stakeholders from East Midlands Strategic Health Authority, Multi-Professional Deanery, Mental Health Development Centre, service user groups and carers in the design, delivery and evaluation of all education provision.

The section attracts local, national and international students. We develop courses to meet specific needs of the evolving mental health workforce, and to respond to major changes in the mental health agenda. This provision is also available to clinicians for Continuing Professional Development. The teaching enterprise links closely with the research programme to create a section which reflects the broad range of disciplines relevant to mental health. In this way the section helps to produce a skilled professional workforce as well as contributing to the knowledge base underpinning mental health practice. A Teaching and Learning Committee, chaired by the section Head, provides a steer to the section, approves a strategic plan and monitors its performance. The section Head reports on its performance to the Institute of Mental Health Leadership Team.

If you would like further information on this section, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or alternatively you can visit our education section for more information.

Personality Disorder Institute

Head of Section: Professor Eddie Kane

The Personality Disorder Institute (PDi) seeks to be a centre of excellence devoted to the research of personality disorder and the national centre devoted to the training of all staff involved in the treatment of severe personality disorder.

The PDi will undertake service evaluation and development work, including trialling innovative interventions and the assessment of organisational capacity and the working practices of staff. The PDi will contribute critical analyses of criminal justice, social care and Human Rights legislation and its application to people with personality disorder. The PDi will develop multi-professional and multi-agency education and training, including specifically service user and carer led and delivered provision.

To deliver this agenda the Institute will form partnerships with other research centres, both nationally and internationally and will work closely with service user and carer groups. The Institute will promulgate latest developments through its specialist journal, entitled, Personality and Mental Health.

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