Voices Heard: Oxford Health Champions Lived Experience in Mental Health Research
On World Mental Health Day, the trust highlights how patient and public involvement shapes vital research, making it more relevant and inclusive.
By Laura Medhurst
••3 min read
AI
Diverse hands resting on research papers, symbolising collaboration in mental health research.
On World Mental Health Day, Oxford Health is highlighting the critical role of lived experience in shaping mental health research, ensuring it is relevant, accessible, and impactful for the communities it serves.
World Mental Health Day, observed annually on 10 October, focuses this year on the theme “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”. This theme underscores the importance of listening to individuals to drive meaningful advancements in mental health care and research.
Across Oxford Health, patients, carers, and the public collaborate with researchers through Patient and Public Involvement & Engagement (PPIE). This partnership is instrumental in refining research priorities, study designs, participant experiences, and the dissemination of findings, ensuring research directly addresses the needs of those it aims to benefit.
Earlier this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at Oxford Health convened a meeting with community members, researchers, and faith leaders. The discussions explored the intersection of culture, faith, and lived experience in mental health research, identifying pathways to foster greater inclusivity and cultural sensitivity, particularly within Black African and Caribbean communities.
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"When people share their experiences of mental health, they are sharing knowledge that researchers cannot find in a textbook or a dataset. Being asked to contribute is important, but what matters most is knowing that your perspective has been listened to and has helped shape decisions. That is where real change happens."
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"Just as cooking a meal without tasting it is a recipe for failure, so too is conducting research without lived experience. Truly impactful research is the result of fully involving those who have lived it. This is what we are trying to achieve."
At the NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF), the ENGAGE group actively contributes to enhancing the research experience. They review study materials, discuss proposals, and test participant journeys. Feedback from community engagement, including activities at Oxford Pride 2026, has been vital in making research opportunities more accessible and inclusive.
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"At the Clinical Research Facility, listening to participants and public contributors helps us improve every stage of the research journey. Their insights influence everything from study information and research visits to the environment we create for participants."
The NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mission also benefits from the input of young people, carers, and service users. For instance, adopted young adults helped shape a trauma-informed study investigating the long-term effects of childhood trauma, influencing its methodology and communication strategies.
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"Meaningful involvement starts with listening. Real change happens when people with lived experience are not only invited to contribute but are genuinely heard and valued as equal partners in research. Their voices help shape priorities, challenge assumptions and ensure research focuses on what matters most to the people it is designed to support."
This World Mental Health Day, Oxford Health expresses gratitude to all individuals who share their experiences. Their contributions guide researchers in formulating questions, designing studies, and improving participant experiences, ultimately ensuring research yields significant benefits for patients and communities.
Further information on how to get involved with research at Oxford Health is available.
