Finding a Direction for Social Research in Mental Health

Abstract

• Summary: In the UK the modernization of mental health services has been underpinned by integration of health and social care. However, these two sectors bring to integrated services very different legacies in relation to research and development. Although there are notable exceptions, social science in general, and social work research in particular, operate with limited capacity and with little influence relative to the volume of research undertaken within medical psychiatry. This article reports on a survey commissioned by the UK Department of Health to scope the views of stakeholders on the priorities for future development of social research in mental health and to look at practical ways of building research capacity in this area. • Findings: The survey identified two clusters of research topics as future priorities for the social research agenda: the first is social inclusion/social capital and social networks, and the second is resilience and recovery. Despite this headline consensus, the survey also uncovers some underlying tensions between health and social care professionals in the prioritization of medical and social research topics. • Applications: The findings of this survey will contribute directly to the identification of funding priorities for research in mental health and to strategies for building research capacity in social care and mental health.