Equally Well UK are excited to be working with Dr Benjamin Perry (Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry), in association with University of Birmingham and McPin Foundation to support an important piece of work that will be a massive boost in preventing poor physical health for people living with severe mental illness. Funded by an NIHR Advanced Fellowship, we will be working with the team to help them ‘Refine the Psychosis Metabolic Risk Calculator (PsyMetRiC) for Accuracy and Equity’, and ‘Develop Knowledge for Implementation and Impact toward Parity of Esteem for Cardiometabolic Health in Psychosis’.

About the project

Psychotic disorders typically start in young people in their early twenties. Research shows that people who have experienced psychosis may be more likely to develop physical conditions like diabetes and heart disease, and early warning signs of those physical conditions can be present from the start of psychosis in some individuals. If we could accurately tell which people who have experienced psychosis are more likely to develop future physical health conditions, steps could be taken to prevent those conditions from worsening or developing in the first place.

PsyMetRiC is the first tool of its kind, which could empower people with psychotic disorders by giving them an accurate, personalised score indicating their chance of developing conditions like diabetes and heart disease in the future. PsyMetRiC has already been extensively tested for accuracy around the world. However, we still don’t know the best way to use PsyMetRiC, so Dr Perry and his team want to speak to stakeholders, including people who have experience of psychosis, to learn.

The opportunity

Equally Well UK are offering a great opportunity for people who have experienced psychosis to help refine and implement the risk calculator which will identify early signs of developing physical health conditions.

For PsyMetRiC to be successfully used in the clinic, it needs to be acceptable to young people with experience of psychosis. As part of this work, we are looking for people with lived experience of psychosis, and their carers, aged between 16 to 35 to form a Fellowship Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP).

The LEAP will meet three times yearly (twice virtually and once in person at a location to be decided) for the duration of the Fellowship (5 years, with the first meeting taking place before the end of 2024). You will also have the opportunity to attend and ensure lived experience representation at project steering group meetings, to be held twice a year, over five years.

We are particularly keen to hear from people from racialised communities and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Fellowship Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) will:

  • Ensure the acceptability of the risk prediction tool (recognised with authorship).
  • Co-develop branding for research that will be used on study equipment and the app.
  • Co-produce an advisory guide for health professionals about the best way to tell patients about their physical health risks in a way that motivates without causing distress.
  • Co-ordinate social media channels / website.
  • Co-produce study adverts / participant information sheets.
  • Co-produce reflective articles for submission alongside research articles, recognised with sole authorship.

Who can apply

We are looking for 5 people with relevant lived experience to become PsyMetRiC LEAP members, alongside a further 5 members who will be recruited by McPin Foundation, who are:

  • based in the UK.
  • a young person/young adult aged 16-35 years old.
  • have lived experience of hearing voices, seeing visions or other unusual sensory experiences.
  • have recent experience of being seen by a healthcare professional in an ‘early intervention service’ for these experiences.
  • have access to a digital device and stable internet connection to join online meetings with video on. (If you have any concerns about this, please do get in touch so we can help with digital inclusion).

What we provide

  • Online meetings, pre-reading and ad-hoc work will be paid at a rate of £25 per hour. Virtual meetings will typically last 1 and a half to 2 hours, and in-person meetings 3 and a half to 4 hours, for which you will be paid £100 in total for your attendance, plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed.
  • All members will receive appropriate support, training and development as required.

How to apply and further information

Please send your expression of interest (300 to 500 words) to shizana.arshad@centreformentalhealth.org.uk. Please include why you are interested in this opportunity, brief details of your lived experience of psychosis (if you are comfortable to do so), and any other skills and experiences you feel may be relevant.

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions or any accessibility needs.

Deadline for applications is Friday 6th December 2024, 5.00 pm

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