Close
The Primary Care Mental Health Research group offers studentship opportunities on a range of topics in mental health (including severe mental illness/psychosis, common mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, medically unexplained symptoms and somatisation) and using a variety of methodologies including both quantitative and qualitative research. Contact Marta Buszewicz: m.buszewicz@ucl.ac.uk
Project: Improving the mental well-being of frail older people
Supervisors: Dr Kate Walters, Dr Rachael Frost, Dr Marta Buszewicz, Dr Rebecca Gould
Our current work has shown that depression and anxiety in frail older people is often poorly
addressed, with very low levels of referrals and uptake of psychological therapies in this group. We
have undertaken several systematic reviews and are interviewing frailer older people with
depression or anxiety on how we can better address these needs. There is an opportunity to build
on this work, and undertake a qualitative study with health care professionals to understand how
current services and psychological therapies need to be better adapted to meet the needs of older
people with health impairments affecting their everyday activities. This would particularly suit
someone with a background in psychology.
Project: Public Mental Health
Supervisors: Dr Kate Walters, Prof David Osborn, Dr Fiona Hamilton
The NIHR School for Public Health has prioritised Public Mental Health as one of its three key
themes in a 4-5 year programme of work starting 2018. There is an opportunity to join the team of
people at UCL working to develop ideas for the key research questions within this theme, and
develop a linked PhD project. Potential topic ideas include: evaluating early years and schoolbased
approaches to promote child and adolescent mental well-being; reducing inequalities
experienced by people with poor mental health; better integration of care for people with poor
mental health; new approaches to reducing loneliness and promoting resilience; the built
environment and mental well-being outcomes; mental health and the workplace.
Contact: k.walters@ucl.ac.uk
