This book addresses the important area of the role of research in the modernisation of mental health services. It explores theoretical, methodological and practical issues relating to developing evidence to underpin the evolving modernisation agenda. The material is divided into three key thematic sections. The first addresses matters of theory and methodology and considers the current theoretical base for mental health research and development and critically reviews important methodological themes. In the process, it addresses new perspectives to broaden the theoretical and methodological bases to include areas that are not normally included in mental health research. The second section reviews the frameworks that set the current context of mental health research and development. These are higher education policy, the national NHS R&D policy, the evolving National Institute for Mental Health and clinical governance in the NHS. Each policy framework is critically reviewed. The third section covers critical reviews of models of practice and their relationships to research. The areas of practice covered present lessons to be learnt and issues to be addressed for the future.
The book concludes with a review of the discussions in the preceding chapters, highlighting debates and lessons learnt and arguing a case for moving forward mental health R&D.
