‘Sharing the Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone’ is Ireland’s national mental health policy to improve people’s mental health and the quality of the mental health services. However, making these ideas work in real life is difficult, leading to what is called a ‘policy implementation gap’.
The VISTA research programme, which is funded by the Health Research Board, aims to carry out research to discover how we can best support the implementation of ‘Sharing the Vision’.
VISTA is made up of six different projects which are focused on:
(1) social media and youth mental health
(2) physical and sexual health
(3) digital interventions in youth mental health
(4) factors that a person can change to promote recovery
(5) improving involuntary mental health care
(6) increasing authenticity and diversity in Public and Patient Involvement in mental health research.
The inclusion of people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, their families and supporters, and the public in the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of mental health services is critical. Therefore, one of the VISTA research programme’s objectives is to develop and increase the ability of people with lived experience of mental health difficulties and the public for meaningful involvement in research. This includes enhancing the confidence and competence of people with Lived Experience and the General Public to contribute to the VISTA research programme as well as future research.
Mental Health Ireland is Ireland’s longest established national mental health charity and a leader in supporting mental health recovery and progressing the reform and improvement of mental health services nationally. Mental Health Ireland is part of the VISTA research programme, which involves researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, University of Galway, and Dublin City University, and representatives from the Health Service Executive, the Department of Health, and other collaborators (e.g. Mental Health Reform and Spunout).
Who is this opportunity for?
We are looking for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, family members/supporters of those with lived experience, and members of the general public to join an advisory panel of 5 PPI contributors. We require members to be over 18 years of age, resident in the Republic of Ireland, and to be able to travel to Dublin for most of the meetings.
What will PPI contributors do?
Members will be part of an advisory board, and will be asked to meet with the research teams of the 6 work packages comprising the VISTA project. The research teams will seek the PPI panel’s advice and input on various materials in their projects. For example they will be asked to go over a draft of a questionnaire, and to give input and suggestions for change based on their lived experience. They will also be consulted about the participant recruitment processes of each work package, and will be invited to voice their concerns or suggestions regarding the proposed recruitment strategies. Additionally, they will be consulted throughout the recruitment, data analysis, and dissemination process continually so that the research can be authentic to those with lived experience. They will also have the opportunity, if they are interested, in presenting at VISTA workshops and team meetings, as well as at local conferences. We will also welcome members to become co-authors on some aspects of the project if they would like to.
