Making the most of the annual physical health check for people with mental illnesses

About the Project

• Primary Supervisor:  Natalie Shoham
• Co-Supervisor(s): Dr Georgina Hosang, Dr Sheraz Ahmad, Professor Jianhua Wu

Project Overview

People with ‘serious mental illnesses’, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are more likely to have physical health problems. For example, they are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes than people without a mental illness. The difference is so marked that people with serious mental illnesses have a life expectancy between 10 and 20 years shorter, compared with everyone else.

To try to improve the health of people with serious mental illnesses, they are offered a yearly physical health check with the General Practitioner (GP) or mental health team. Much effort has been invested in improving the number of people who go to these checks. Surprisingly, there is not much research into how well the checks work to improve long-term health.

For this PhD project, the successful candidate will undertake three separate studies surrounding this topic. First, they will systematically review the research published so far about what helps and hinders people with serious mental illnesses from attending their annual health checks. If the data permits, the results from included studies will be meta-analysed.

For the second study, the candidate will look at the anonymised GP records for thousands of people with serious mental illnesses, to see whether the people who attended the check regularly had better health over time than people who did not.

For the third study, they will interview with people with serious mental illnesses who have recently attended their annual physical health check, as well as professionals who regularly carry out the checks. During these interviews, they will explore about which aspects of the check they find helpful, or less helpful. They will also ask them how they think that their overall health and lifestyle changed because of the checks. The data will be analysed used qualitative approaches.

In conducting these three studies, the successful candidate will work alongside the local NHS mental health trust, to help recruit people to the interviews and understand the concerns of healthcare professionals. They will also feed our findings back into the NHS so that they can be used by healthcare professionals who are trying to improve the physical health of people with serious mental illnesses. We would strongly encourage them to seek Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) input to guide the research. They will publish the findings in academic journals, to assist their work in trying to make the checks as useful as possible in improving long term health.

Research Environment

Dr Natalie Shoham and Dr Sheraz Ahmad are psychiatrists and will support the clinical side of the project. This will include undertaking a placement within an exciting pilot of the ‘Trieste model’ of mental healthcare within the NHS trust led by Dr Ahmad.

Dr Georgina Hosang is a senior researcher whose work focusses on the trajectory of serious mental illnesses, including the physical health of people with multimorbidity. The PhD student will have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop critical skills and attributes needed to manage research effectively and prepare for the next stages of their career. The supervisory team will individually train the PhD student in developing a research protocol, and conducting statistical analyses, and clinical assessment knowledge and skills. The student will be able to join a group of researchers named the ‘ASSET group’, who research societal factors which influence mental health and to network with other PhD students at regular meetings within the Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health.

Find out more about the Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health on our Website

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/wiph/centres/centre-for-psychiatry-and-mental-health/

Keywords: Serious mental illness, annual physical health check, health inequalities

Entry Requirements

Successful applicants are expected to have:

• A very good first degree (BA or BSc Honours or equivalent) at 1st class standard or upper 2nd with average of 65% or above, in a relevant subject such as psychology, sociology or neuroscience
• For +3.5 awards, an appropriate Masters degree (at distinction or at least high merit level)
• Other qualifications relevant to the proposed area of study, such as professional or work-related expertise, will also be considered.

·      Training, experience and/or interest in mental and physical health, stress and/or lived experience perspectives on related topics.

·      Excellent communication skills and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team across different sites.

·      Initiative and ability to work independently

Desirable criteria

·      Experience of working with people with mental illnesses

·      Research experience collecting and analysing sensitive interview (qualitative) data and/or analysis of existing quantitative data

·      Experience using statistical (e.g., SPSS) and qualitative analysis (e.g., NVIVO) software packages

We particularly encourage students from groups that are currently underrepresented in postgraduate science research, including black and minority ethnic students and those from a socio-economically disadvantaged background.

How to apply

The deadline for applications is 12:00 (GMT) 14^th February 2025. Late applications will not be considered.

To be considered for this PhD, please apply via the QMUL application site. Applications will need to include:

1)     The application form (please email [email protected] to request this)

2)     CV (2 pages max);

3)     Personal statement (1 page max) – this statement should include: why you are interested in undertaking this project; what relevant existing skills, training, and knowledge you would bring to the project.

Shortlisted applicants will also be required to provide transcripts and two references.

All candidates also need to complete the LISS DTP Diversity Monitoring for CASE Candidates. These data are only provided to LISS DTP directly: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/kings/liss-dtp-diversity-monitoring-for-case-candidates-2025-entry

Key dates and further information

Deadline: Friday 14th February 2025

Interviews for shortlisted candidates will likely take place: 10^th March 2025

The successful candidate will be asked to complete an Advanced DBS check upon commencing the post.

Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Natalie Shoham – [email protected]. 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal in-person interview (online interviews will be considered in exceptional circumstances).

For further information, please go to the LISS DTP

webpage https://liss-dtp.ac.uk/