The National Institute for Health and Care Research and Office for Life Sciences (OLS) have invested £18 million into these clinics, delivered by the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mood Disorders workstream as part of the Mental Health Goals programme.

This builds on an existing network of research clinics, including the Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre’s Treatment Resistant Depression Clinic, who work with world-leading researchers on depression.

The Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC) led by Professor Rachel Upthegrove is based at the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

7 new mood disorder clinics will be set up in:
·       Bristol – Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
·       Cambridge – Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
·       Cardiff – National Centre for Mental Health
·       Edinburgh – The Royal Edinburgh Hospital
·       Glasgow – NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
·       North London – North London Mental Health Partnership
·       Sheffield – Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Michael Browning, the Mood Disorders workstream co-lead and Professor of Computational Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, said:

“It is an exciting time in the treatment of mood disorders as there are several new interventions being developed. This includes new types of medication, therapy, and neurostimulation techniques. This additional funding will allow us to assess these new treatments quickly and reduce the time it takes for patients to access them. In some areas in the UK, there are currently no opportunities for patients to access mood disorder clinics. The locations of the new clinics will seek to redress this imbalance.”

Professor Rachel Upthegrove, Chair of NIHR MH-TRC and Director of the Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre said:

“The expansion of existing centres of excellence in treating people with mood disorders, and the establishment of the new centres in areas where there has previously been little support, will mean there are more opportunities for people to access detailed assessments and potentially new treatments through participation in research.

“The funding also means that more people will have the opportunity to take part — this improves the research, makes results more representative, and can improve treatment options by uncovering new ways of managing serious illnesses. This is a fantastic investment in research and capacity that will really impact people’s lives.”

For more information, see the NIHR news pages.