The University of Worcester has secured over £2 million in funding to improve mental health services in rural parts of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The money, awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will support a new Rural Mental Health Research Unit. The funding will also cover a five-year research programme and three new job roles focused on tackling health inequalities in the region.
According to the university, mental health issues in rural communities often go unnoticed due to stigma, isolation, and limited access to care.
Professor David Green, vice chancellor and chief executive of the university, welcomed the funding.
“This research will help thousands of people in rural communities over the coming years,” he said. “It’s a major step forward for the community, the NHS, and our university. We’re very grateful to the NIHR for this support.”
Professor Eleanor Bradley, director of research in the College of Health and Science and lead investigator on the project, said the findings will be shared with other regions facing similar challenges.
“We need to understand the everyday experiences of people in rural areas and how they are affected by mental ill-health,” she said. “This will help us shape better local services and understand how rural living affects mental health risks.”
The new team will also work closely with voluntary groups and community organisations to better understand how patients have been underserved in the past.
Professor Bradley said the project could lead to major changes in how mental health care is delivered in rural areas across the UK.
The programme will be run in partnership with the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Mental Health and local health organisations, including the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board, the Health and Care NHS Trust, public health departments, and primary care providers.
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