PhD student publishes work with local Mental Health Trust

A PhD student at Newman has published two papers in international peer-reviewed journals, based on his work with service-users, staff, carers and volunteers at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust (BSMHFT). Imran Ali studied the experiences of the people involved in setting up the Birmingham and Solihull Recovery College, with his doctoral studies being funded jointly by BSMHFT’s Research and Innovation Fund and the University. The Recovery College aims to offer a range of co-produced and co-facilitated sessions, which have been developed with and for people who have experience of living with mental health issues, for more information please see their website.

Imran’s first paper was published with his supervisors (Dr Adam Benkwitz and Dr Paul McDonald) in the ‘Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Mental Health’, which focused on the ‘setting up’ of the recovery college and offers a number of recommendations for other Recovery Colleges around the UK and beyond.

The second paper was published with his supervisors and also colleagues from the Trust, Katherine Allen (Lead for Recovery, Service User, Family and Carer Experience) and Anne Glover (Recovery Improvement Lead) in the ‘Journal of Recovery in Mental Health’, and it focuses on the co-production, lived experiences, and shared learning environment developed in the College.

Imran’s supervisor Dr Benkwitz commented: “Imran has worked incredibly hard during his doctorate and its good to see that work coming to fruition with these publications. It has been a really positive relationship working with our partners and the service-users, carers, and volunteers at the Mental Health Trust, and Imran has continued to meet with stakeholders to feedback his findings throughout the process”.