Maudsley Charity to invest £20 million over 5 years to target key mental health issues

Initiatives to improve the lives of people affected by mental health conditions will receive a much-needed boost when Maudsley Charity launches two new, large-scale programmes targeting treatment, service improvement and support for those who have had experience of psychosis, and young people most at risk of mental illness.  

Maudsley Charity, an independent NHS charity operating in South London, announced the new programmes after a period of consultation and research to understand the perspectives of clinicians, people with lived experience of mental illness, carers, and family members as well as its principal partners, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London.  

The long-term funding programmes will be rolled out in two phases with Living Well with Psychosis starting in 2022, and a second programme focusing on young people at most risk of mental illness in 2023.  Living Well with Psychosis will fund a mix of NHS improvement projects, voluntary sector initiatives and research to improve outcomes for people with a range of psychotic illnesses.  This might mean improved treatments, better advice and support or more opportunities for employment or social activity.  

Over the coming months, while transitioning to the first of the new programmes, the charity is undertaking a period of research into existing initiatives improving care and support for those affected by psychosis, which will inform further announcements later this summer.  

People affected by psychosis include those living with diagnoses like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder. According to estimates, the boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Croydon have some of the highest rates of new cases of psychosis in England. 

Rebecca Gray, Chief Executive of Maudsley Charity said, “We are proud to support pioneering work within the NHS, with researchers, and in the community sector. We will be looking for local and national partners in these new programmes. Our ambition is to make a major impact for people affected by psychosis in South London, where rates of new cases of psychosis are particularly high. By collecting and sharing research, best practice, and testing new ideas, we can inform what happens at a national level. 

“There is an important dimension of social and racial inequality to how likely someone is to get a psychotic illness and how they might then be treated and supported. There is clear evidence of gaps in the experience of different communities in relation to mental health services, whether we’re talking about disproportionately high rates of detention under the Mental Health Act, or a lack of culturally appropriate support. We are committed to ensuring our funding is helping to address these inequalities.”  

Alice Casey, Director of Programmes for Maudsley Charity said, “We are delighted to be able to commit significant funding to our two themes and to support our key partners and expert organisations to improve outcomes for people over the next 5 years. In bringing together the best approaches from both inside the health care system and in the wider community, we are aiming to make lasting change.”  

To find out more about the new programmes and to register for updates, visit the Maudsley Charity website at www.maudsleycharity.org/grants 

ENDS 

Media contact: Lisa Harewood at Maudsley Charity: lisa.harewood@maudsleycharity.org 

Notes for editors 

• In 2011, the UK national average for new cases of psychosis was 18.1 per 100,000. In areas served by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust the rate was far higher – 52.4 in Lambeth, 50.6 in Southwark, 48.6 in Lewisham, and 36.9 in Croydon. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2017/dec/psychosis-incidence-highly-variable-internationally  
• In the UK the highest reported rates of psychotic disorders are amongst Black ethnic groups. Halvorsrud et al (2019)  
• Psychosis is one of the most life-impacting conditions. Only 5.8% of people affected by psychosis were in employment compared to 40.6% in the population with a mental health condition. Psychosis Data Report  

About Maudsley Charity 

Maudsley Charity is an independent NHS charity working with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London.   

Maudsley Charity is here to promote positive change in the world of mental health. We support innovation, research and service improvement, and raise public awareness and understanding. We support patients and families, clinical care teams and scientists who are working towards the common goal of improving mental health. 

Working closely with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which provides the UK’s widest range of mental health services, and the world-renowned Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, we help fund ground-breaking mental health research, service improvements and therapeutic programmes. 

The Charity is able to fund a wide range of work in Southeast London and beyond through its historic endowment and through donations.