by Nathania Bestwick NIHR Newcastle PSRC PhD student
I was grateful to travel to London for the PSYCH Symposium 2025 on Thursday, 4th December. This symposium brings together researchers, therapists, doctors, policymakers, investors, and campaigners to talk about the latest research in psychedelic medicine and how psychedelic therapies may be used in mainstream healthcare to treat mental health conditions.
I attended the symposium with Radin Karimi, another PhD student from the NIHR Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC). Like my own work, Radin’s research looks at how to better manage polypharmacy (which is when people take many different medicines at the same time). Medicines used to treat mental health conditions often add to this problem, so we were interested to find out if psychedelic therapies might help people manage their mental health so they can take fewer medicines. We were also keen to learn how patient safety is managed in this developing area of research.
The symposium focused on a range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, eating disorders and distress near the end of life, particularly for people who have not responded to more commonly used treatments. Speakers shared evidence showing that psychedelic medicine, such as psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine, can help to ease symptoms in people with these conditions. They also explained that psychedelic therapies may help people process deeper emotional problems behind their symptoms, which can lead to longer-lasting improvements in well-being. Several speakers had worked with military veterans and shared how these therapies have helped them manage PTSD, support their mental health, and feel better in everyday life after leaving the military.
Patient safety was a major focus throughout the symposium. Research in this area is strictly regulated, with people being carefully checked (called screening) before they’re invited to take part, and with study information being clearly explained so that people can make an informed choice when agreeing to join a study. Therapies are provided in carefully controlled and supportive treatment spaces by highly trained therapists and healthcare professionals, with close monitoring during sessions, and follow-up support after the treatment to help people understand their experiences and get the best results from the treatment.
Professors David Nutt and Guy Goodwin had an interesting discussion about recent results from a large study which showed that a single dose of synthetic psilocybin helped people with severe, long-lasting depression, with higher doses leading to bigger improvements in symptoms. They also spoke about drug laws creating stigma around psychedelic research, even though there is growing evidence that these substances can have real health benefits and that they may be less harmful than legal drugs, such as alcohol and tobacco.
One example of how psychedelic medicine is being used in standard healthcare came from Professor Ranil Gunewardene, who described how he is leading one of the first clinics in Australia to offer regulated psychedelic-assisted therapy. Since his research is with patients who have complex health conditions (called real-world patients), it may give us helpful insight into how these therapies can be used outside of highly controlled research environments.
In summary, the symposium showed that psychedelic medicine has promising potential to improve care for people with mental health conditions, particularly those that are difficult to treat. It also highlighted that more research is needed and that building upon the current evidence base will help us better understand how effective and safe these treatments are, and how they can be carefully and appropriately used as part of standard healthcare.
Details and bios for each of the speakers can be found here
By Hiranmayi Madabhushi Hari, Research Assistant (School of Pharmacy)
Equity cannot exist without disability inclusion. This month, as we mark UK Disability History Month, I want to pause and reflect on what inclusion really means, beyond statements, beyond awareness posts and beyond checkboxes on institutional forms.
Disability is not a niche issue. It is a public health issue.
It is a human rights issue.
It is a societal responsibility.
Disability history reminds us that progress did not happen by accident. It came from disabled activists demanding better-from accessible transport to inclusive education, to rights-based healthcare. Their work continues today, and we owe it to them to keep pushing.
Across the world, disabled people continue to face overlapping barriers such as inaccessible healthcare, limited education and employment opportunities and stigma that is often disabling than the condition itself. Out of the barriers they face, the most difficult one which sits uncomfortably at the intersection of public health, ethics and disability rights is the emergence of measures that subtly suggest a final option when what is most urgently needed is meaningful prioritisation, adequate resourcing, and sustained approaches that uphold the value of their lives.
True accessibility is not an afterthought. It is a starting point. It asks us to design spaces, policies and services that recognise disability as a natural part of human diversity, not an exception or burden to accommodate. The answer to our questions must always be better care.
This month, I hope we move from awareness to action.
From support to taking accountability.
From Inclusion to redesign.
Because a society that works for disabled people works better for everyone.
To all disabled students, staff, parents, carers and community members- your presence strengthens the world, your voices reshape our understanding, and your contributions enrich our collective future.
Let’s honour Disability History Month not just by remembering the past, but by reshaping the future together.
By Anonymous Public Contributor
I am a public contributor who has been involved for about six years with many interesting research projects.
I volunteered to give my views to researchers, as, at the age of 75, I have experienced many problems relating to health and social issues. I am retired and have more time, which enables me to participate as a public contributor both online and at in-person meetings.
As both a person who suffers from multiple health conditions and a carer for two people who have complicated health problems, I have been able to contribute my opinions and views on different subjects. I hope my contribution has been helpful in shaping the research studies by responding to the questions posed by the researchers.
I think that public involvement is very important in order to give as wide a view as possible in research studies. Opinions from patients and carers from different ethnic, class, disability and cultural backgrounds may raise issues which researchers need to take into account.
For example, having a family member with liver problems, I was able to contribute to research which highlighted the prejudice the public has about liver transplants where the patient has a problem with alcohol. The researcher designed the study so that information which may have been difficult to include was obtained discreetly, as many patients and carers sometimes try to hide the problem.
By including relevant public contributors’ views and stories, such things as living with a colostomy bag or problems experienced with toileting situations are brought to the attention of researchers.
I am pleased that being involved as a public contributor has improved my IT skills and given me more confidence to speak at meetings.
I have seen researchers suddenly become aware at meetings, on hearing answers to their questions of areas of research which they had not previously thought about.
Call to action.
“Make your research results relevant to all by using PPI.”
By Safer Integrated Health and Social Care Environments PhD Student, Lauren Lawson
In August I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Singapore to attend the BMJ International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare. I presented a poster about a service evaluation I had worked on, led by Dr Matt Cooper, which explored a hospital discharge service providing one-to-one, personalised support for carers of people leaving hospital.
The conference theme, moving together toward sustainable quality, emphasised the importance of collaboration across sectors to achieve lasting improvements in healthcare. Many sessions focused on involving patients and carers as partners in care, by embedding lived experience into service design and evaluation to make change meaningful and sustainable. Other sessions explored how to support population health across the life course, recognising the social factors that shape health and the role of community-based care.
“For me, a key message was that sustainability in healthcare also depends on continuity, where good care extends beyond the hospital to meet people’s needs in the community.”
These messages echoed the key findings from our service evaluation, which highlighted how person-centred, inclusive support can empower carers to support their own wellbeing and the patient during hospital-to-home transitions. Our approach of working with staff and carers to understand the service’s impact reflected the same emphasis on participation and learning that was central to the conference. For me, a key message was that sustainability in healthcare also depends on continuity, where good care extends beyond the hospital to meet people’s needs in the community.
After the conference I got to explore Singapore and think about sustainability in a different way. The contrast between greenery and skyscrapers, the hawker centres blending food from diverse communities together, and the evening light show through the Supertrees were all incredible reminders the benefits of collaborative design.
by Hiranmayi Madabhushi Hari, Research Assistant, working with Dr Anna Robinson-Barella and Prof Andy Husband.
Hiranmayi Madabhushi Hari, one of our Research Assistants working with Dr Anna Robinson-Barella and Prof Andy Husband, recently attended training about D/deaf awareness. In this reflective blog, Hiranmayi shares a call to action for inclusive research approaches for people who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing.
Behind every statistic on deafness (1,2) lies a painful truth: people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) continue to be sidelined in healthcare, research, and everyday life. Deafness is a hidden disability, one you cannot always “see”, yet misconceptions endure. Too often, society clings to inappropriate labels like “deaf & mute/dumb” or “hearing impaired”, “handicapped” terms rooted in stigma. The distinctions between Deaf, deaf, Hard of hearing and Deafblind remain poorly understood, while assumptions that cochlear implants or hearing aids “fix” hearing only deepen isoloaton.
Language matters. Labels must respect individual identity, not reinforce exclusion and a lack of awareness can have very real consequences. Many people cannot lipread, nor do they necessarily know British Sign Language (BSL). Without interpreters, functional hearing loops, or accessible systems, they are left excluded from basic services, including healthcare. For many BSL users and D/deaf people, poor mental health outcomes are a direct consequence of systemic barriers, worsened when communication needs are ignored, interpreters are absent, and accessible systems simply don’t exist. The recent Still Ignores: The fight for Accessible Healthcare report (3) describes this neglect as a “damning indictment”: Deaf patients left without understanding diagnoses, unable to contact their GP, and excluded from safe, equitable care.
These failures spill into research, where D/deaf people are often excluded from clinical trials or overlooked in inclusion criteria. D/deaf awareness, culture, and communication must be embedded in both research design and service delivery. As researchers, we must ask ourselves: are our services and research strategies truly accessible? Do we respect preferred communications? Do we prioritise D/deaf culture in research? Change requires not pity but patience, awareness and urgent action.
References:
- Prevalence of British Sign Language [Internet]. RNID. [cited 2025 Sep 17]. Available from: https://rnid.org.uk/get-involved/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/prevalence-of-british-sign-language/
- GOV.UK [Internet]. [cited 2025 Sep 17]. The British Sign Language (BSL) report 2022. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-british-sign-language-bsl-report-2022/the-british-sign-language-bsl-report-2022
- Still ignored: the fight for accessible healthcare. Available from: https://rnid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Still-ignored-the-fight-for-accessible-healthcare.pdf
By Henry Song, Artificial intelligence and data science in multiple long-term conditions theme PhD student
Attending the NIHR Newcastle PSRC/Pharmacy event on the 19th of June was a very positive experience for me. Although I was not able to present my latest research findings due to recent changes in my project dataset, the day still proved to be highly valuable.
I had the chance to see a wide range of presentations from fellow students and colleagues. Some of the work provided direct inspiration for my own research, while others helped to broaden my perspective on the diverse approaches within our field. I was particularly struck by the experimental-based studies on display, which were not only highly innovative but also showed real potential for future impact.
In the afternoon, the workshop on research funding applications was especially useful. It gave me a first insight into the key steps, structure, and approaches involved in applying for research grants. This will no doubt be very important as I continue to develop my academic career.
Overall, the event was an excellent opportunity to learn, connect, and reflect on both my own project and the wider research landscape.
11.30 – 12.30. Lecture Theatre 1 (LT1), King George VI building / Hybrid
“Reducing the impact of deconditioning for older people admitted to hospital: development of a participatory research and improvement strategy with real world impact ”
Dr Lisa Robinson is AHP Consultant (Newcastle Hospitals) and Visiting Fellow (Northumbria University). She is also the successful recipient of an NIHR Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Award (SCPRA) (2024-2029).
In this session, Lisa will present an overview of an emerging programme of work which aims to reduce the impact of deconditioning for older people admitted to hospital. She will present the findings from a recent group concept mapping project with multidisciplinary healthcare staff and discuss plans for future work which aims to integrate research and practice development activity to improve the safety of older adults in an acute care setting.
On this occassion the event will be hybrid and a link will be sent in the run up to the event.
During the summer of 2025, Dr Matt Cooper and Dr Charlotte Richardson hosted four undergraduate and postgraduate students at Newcastle University to complete a research internship. Three of the interns have reflected on this experience.
Imogen Tate (BSc Hons Psychology with Professional Placement)
I am currently a BSc Psychology with Professional Placement student going into my 4th year (stage 3), and this summer I completed a month internship working on the scoping review ‘Caring for the Carer: What are the active ingredients of interventions supporting informal carers’ wellbeing and welfare needs?’ under the supervision of Dr Matt Cooper.
I was supported to title and abstract screen using Rayyan, full-text screen and data extract, and conduct a promise analysis of the included papers. This experience has significantly developed my research skills for scoping/systematic review. Notably, I have enhanced my problem-solving skills for refining a research question throughout this process, as a high volume of papers were initially included; I enjoyed the collaborative nature of evaluating the project’s direction when problems arose. I am looking forward to seeing the meaningful impact on carer wellbeing that the project will have.
I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to attend the 2nd annual NIHR Newcastle PSRC and School of Pharmacy Conference 2025 in my first week, as it gave me great understanding of the scope of the work that is conducted within the department and provided insight into where my psychology background is advantageous.
I particularly valued working in such a welcoming and supportive environment surrounded by fellow interns and PhD students with such a wide range of research interests. This experience has reaffirmed that I would love to pursue a PhD one day and eventually a career that has a platform for both clinical and academic practice!
Neave Woollam (BSc Hons Psychology with Professional Placement)
I am currently an undergraduate psychology with professional placement year student at Newcastle University, and this summer I completed a four-week long internship supervised by Dr Matthew Cooper. The project was a scoping review looking at interventions to support carers’ wellbeing and welfare needs.
This created a great opportunity for me to develop my research and professional skills. Including learning to use a new software (Rayaan) to screen papers, doing data extraction and a promise analysis. When our original search returned an overwhelming number of papers, it was really interesting to see how the search was refined to deal with this. This gave me insight into how to tailor search strategies when conducting a scoping review.
I enjoyed working in an office alongside other interns and PhD students. I loved hearing about the different topics being researched and the range of methodologies being used to do so. It really opened my eyes up to the possibilities within pharmacy research and made me realise it’s not all lab based. I especially enjoyed hearing about the Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) work that informed this review. Seeing the coproduced artwork really inspired me and made me think about PPI in research more creatively.
Overall, I hope to continue using the skills, knowledge and experience I have gained over this internship in my final year of university and in my career.
Tom Collis (MSc in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence)
Hi, my name is Tom, I am currently studying an MSc in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Newcastle University. Prior to this I studied Medicine at Newcastle University, and I subsequently completed my Foundation Years, and a Clinical Teaching Fellow Year. In June and July 2025 I undertook this fascinating research internship with the School of Pharmacy, under the supervision of Dr Richardson and Dr Cooper.
The internship project involved a systematic review exploring the roles and experience of caregivers in virtual wards. With the NHS aiming to move more care from inpatient hospitals into the community, virtual wards, with the support of caregivers, will be fundamental to facilitating this shift in the location of patient care. The role and experiences of caregivers within virtual wards is an under-researched area, and this systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the existing literature, and a guide for future research projects.
This internship was greatly rewarding, educational, and enjoyable. Working within a team of driven academics was inspiring and has further fuelled my passion for working within academia. Being based in the Newcastle Patient Safety Research Collaboration office gave me an insight into the valuable work being undertaken at Newcastle University, aimed towards improving patient safety and care. The skills and knowledge I have gained from the internship, in particular how to conduct a systematic review, have been invaluable, and have given me a strong foundation to build upon in my future training. Additionally, being involved in the design of the systematic review, and all stages of its undertaking, meant I developed an insight into the complex nature of carrying out research, and how obstacles can be overcome through teamwork, communication, and lateral thinking. I have no doubt that this experience has developed my research skills and will underlie all future work in academia that I hope to undertake. Thank you very much Dr Richardson and Dr Cooper for this opportunity, and your support!
I’m Liam, a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist in Acute and Emergency Care at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. I split my time between clinical practice (four days a week) and research (one day a week) through the NIHR Newcastle PSRC Patient Safety Development Award. Since graduating from Newcastle University’s School of Pharmacy in 2022, I’ve been building my research career alongside clinical development, driven by a passion for research sparked during my undergraduate studies.
The NIHR Newcastle PSRC’s impact on clinicians
Traditionally, clinical practice and academia have been seen as separate career paths. Clinicians interested in research often had to pursue it in their own time, outside of demanding full-time roles.
The NIHR clinical academic pathway has transformed this by funding protected research time and reimbursing employers, allowing clinicians to step away from practice to pursue research.
For me, this has meant one day each week seconded at NIHR Newcastle PSRC, where I’ve developed core research skills. Working with experienced researchers has helped me understand the full project lifecycle, from shaping early ideas and designing methodology to recruiting participants, collecting data, and writing up results.
Building Collaborations
Embedding clinicians within the NIHR Newcastle PSRC helps build strong links with partner organisations. Connections with charities and local health and social care providers create future opportunities at both individual and organisational levels. This also broadens the chance for under-represented groups to have a voice, influence practice, and help reduce health inequalities.
At Newcastle University, embedded clinicians benefit from access to leading academics in their field and can learn from their experience. Previously, collaborations were often ad hoc, such as draft reviews or methodology advice. These awards now enable clinicians to work more closely with academics and gain a deeper understanding of research and academia.
Why is this valuable to the public?
Research-active organisations are linked to better patient outcomes. Combining clinical work with research lets me address real issues I encounter in practice, shaping projects that can drive meaningful change.
In acute medicine, I’ve focused on discharge and follow-up challenges. Through the NIHR Newcastle PSRC, I’m now working on a project exploring these issues for homecare recipients and those working in the industry.
Being embedded in both sectors also helps spread research findings more effectively, supporting better service improvements and outcomes.
Next Steps
A key goal is to encourage more healthcare professionals to engage in research. The NIHR clinical academic pathway supports this by offering development alongside clinical roles, leading to qualifications and national research leadership opportunities.
Professor Hamde Nazar sums up the event with PPIE member, Susan Mountain.
On 11th June 2025, the first of a series of events in June focussing on Virtual Wards (hospital at home) was hosted by the Newcastle NIHR PSRC. Representatives across many of the PSRCs contributed to the planning and organisation of this SafetyNet event.
Given the increasing drive for the use of technology in healthcare, the event brought together practitioners, researchers and patient and public representatives to discuss and consider the opportunity and challenges of the use of technology to support virtual ward service delivery.
The day started off considering the patient and public voice first and foremost. The figure below summarises discussions from a patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) session held earlier in the year. Concerns were aired about the feasibility of technology being appropriate and accessible to all people, with other considerations voiced about the reliability of technology and trusting its effectiveness and security. People acknowledged that there are key challenges to address within the system around the workforce being properly resourced and trained, and about the existing IT infrastructure being fit for purpose. By the end of the discussion, people had ‘warmed’ to the idea, appreciating the opportunities for efficiency and potential improvements in care. However, people were keen to see small incremental developments with rigorous monitoring and evaluation to ensure people and patients were able to keep up and be reassured about the safety, equity and effectiveness of technological advancements within the NHS.
The event then included keynote speakers providing insight into existing evidence for the use of technology, with regards to effectiveness, impact on clinical outcomes and economic repercussions. These have been well captured in a series of scribes created by Claire Hubbard from Nifty Fox Creative.
The final panel discussion saw the keynote speakers tackling provoking questions posed by the audience, e.g., ‘how do we ensure equity in technology-enabled virtual wards?’, ‘what are the biggest challenges for the implementation of technology?’, ‘how sustainable is the use of technology in virtual wards?’
There was rich debate, and we can safely say we did not go away with all the answers. Virtual ward care, and technology use in this service model is a quagmire of half-knowns and unknowns. There is need for scrutiny and evaluation of service models to understand what is working, where, how and for which patients and their carers.
The recently released NHS 10-year plan frames technology as the default mechanism to engage with health by 2035. This means trying to understand how technology is deployed and used in virtual ward care is crucial and continued resource and engagement across practitioners, researchers and public and patient representatives is needed.
On that note, one of our patient and public representatives who attended the event provides her experience and takeaway thoughts:
My name is Susan Mountain and I live with multiple long-term conditions. I became involved with public involvement in 2019 and since then I have been part of many research projects, I am a public contributor to the PSRC, AI Multiply, ARC, CNTW, Sunderland University PCPI team, a campaigner for smoking cessation and I help with the Secure Data Environment.
I attended the SafetyNet Technology Enabled Virtual Wards event and found it very interesting. I heard many people talk of virtual wards but to be honest no one really convinced me that they are currently safe. I personally don’t think they are looking at the families that are involved when a patient is sent home using the virtual ward apparatus. I am concerned that there will be too much pressure on the family.
On that note, one of our patient and public representatives who attended the event provides her experience and takeaway thoughts:
I understand that there are benefits: it reduces the pressure on hospital beds; research has shown people recover quicker in home settings and it reduces the chances of infections in recovering patients.
They talked about patients being provided with medical devices to track vital signs and that all data would be transmitted to the hospital where it will be checked at regular intervals. It did worry me if the internet stops working, then how can they monitor. I had an elderly Mam in hospital and even in hospital I had to advocate for her so what would happen if she was at home?
I believe the PSRC has an important role to play in ensuring that this is fully researched before it is rolled out. It is also vital that staff are properly trained and that there is appropriate internet access in the cases selected for treatment at home.