Be part of our research

CPFT is working with the international POLARIS-AD study to research a new possible therapy for people with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. This clinical research study is looking for people aged 55-90 years old who have early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, such as some memory, planning, and organisational issues, but can still complete most daily tasks independently. Participants will need a care partner who accompany them to study visits for up to two years, to help test a new medication which may be able to slow down or reverse symptoms of early Alzheimer’s disease.

If you know someone who might be eligible or care for a loved one living with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, contact CPFT’s Windsor Research Unit team at: wru@cpft.nhs.uk.
Read more about this research on the POLARIS-AD website.

Researchers at CPFT and the University of Cambridge have developed a new mindfulness treatment to help young people and their carers to cope better with negative emotions.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) combines training in mindfulness meditation with principles from cognitive therapy. It teaches skills to recognise early warning signs of depression, avoid repetitive thinking patterns that make depression more likely, and respond in ways that protect mental health.

This study is looking for young people aged between 15-18 years who are currently experiencing low mood or depression, and who have previously had help but are still struggling. There is an opportunity to participate in a new group-based mindfulness intervention and receive £60.

If you would like more information or want to take part, read this poster and short information sheet and please get in touch with the study team at: attend@medschl.cam.ac.uk

 

 

Anyone currently supporting a family member living with dementia, who may be experiencing worries or distress or interested in receiving online support, is invited to consider taking part in the iACT4CARERS research study.

This is a large trial testing if internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (iACT4CARERS) for family carers of people with dementia is helpful in improving psychological well-being.

iACT4CARERS focuses on helping people to manage difficult or troubling thoughts and feelings, while still trying to do activities that really matter to them.

Visit the website to find out more: iact4carers.com 

If you are interested in taking part, contact CPFT's research delivery team at wru@cpft.nhs.uk or call 01223 219753.

At least one in three people with psychosis see visions, also known as visual hallucinations, but little is known about these distressing experiences or how to treat them.

CPFT is running the Vision-Quest study to develop and test a new questionnaire to understand people’s beliefs about visions and explore physical and psychological factors causing poor sleep and high worry, to find targeted treatments.

Researchers are looking for a broad range of participants aged between 16 and 65 with psychosis in different mental health services, who are currently experiencing visions (present within the last 4 weeks). Participants will be asked to complete an assessment pack either online or in person, which takes up to 45 minutes, and will receive £10 per assessment pack completed.

If you would like to take part or know anyone who could, please contact contact wru@cpft.nhs.uk or call 01223 219753. 

Researchers from the University of Cambridge Department of Psychiatry are mapping the use of Routine Outcomes Measures (ROMs) in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). CPFT colleagues working in these services are invited to complete a five minute survey that includes nine brief questions about your experience of using ROMs in daily clinical practice, and the barriers and facilitators for using them.

Share the survey with your professional networks to get as many responses as possible for a comprehensive understanding of how ROMs are used across different CAMHS settings. Scan the QR code (above/right) or take the survey online here.

If you have any queries about this survey, contact the researchers Dr Jo Anderson and
Dr Helen Casey.

CPFT's Windsor Research Unit  (WRU) is working with King's College London to run the STORY study  which aims to explore the diverse experiences of young people with eating disorders and how they recover from them.

They are looking for young people aged 16-25 with an eating disorder and healthy volunteers to take part in this research over 12 months. Taking part involves completing online surveys and tasks on a computer and smartphone at regular intervals; attending two optional assessment visits, involving cognitive tasks and brain scans; downloading an app onto a smartphone and optionally wearing a device on your finger to measure your heart rate and sleep.

Participants will be paid up to £175 for taking part and may receive a brain picture. If you would like to take part or know someone who could, contact wru@cpft.nhs.uk .
You can also complete the screening questionnaire  online to take part directly.

Local researchers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital are looking for volunteers who are planning their first pregnancy, to take part in a new study focussing on pregnancy and women’s long-term health (the POPPY study).

As highlighted by BBC news and BBC Woman’s Hour, the POPPY study aims to understand why some women develop pre-eclampsia and other placental complications and why these conditions have an adverse effect on women’s future heart health. If you are aged 18-45 years and are planning your first pregnancy, you may be eligible to participate. They are also looking for similar aged volunteers who are not actively planning a pregnancy, for a control group. Reimbursement is provided for time, inconvenience and travel.

To find out more, please visit the POPPY study website or contact the POPPY study team.

CPFT’s CAMEO early intervention service is running the ProNET: Psychosis Risk Outcome Network project to assess and identify young people at risk of psychosis, chosen as one of 26 centres of excellence around the world.

CPFT’s successful bid was announced in 2020, and the research team is now recruiting participants aged 12-30 who have experienced a recent change in thinking, behaviour, or experiences like confusion or paranoia.

Some people may be at higher risk of developing psychosis than others, and participants will have a clinical interview, biological assessments and cognitive testing to understand these risk factors and how to prevent the development of a more serious mental illness.

If you would like to learn more about this study or take part, email the team at: pronet@cpft.nhs.uk.

Click to read the ProNET information leaflet explaining this research.
 

The ABATE Study is testing a vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome.

People with Down syndrome often get Alzheimer’s disease (a type of dementia) when they get older. Dementia is a disease that causes memory loss and other thinking problems. Dementia due to Alzheimer’s occurs when a protein called amyloid builds up in the brain.

The ABATE study is investigating if the vaccine is safe, how it works inside the body, if it helps to get rid of amyloid build-ups and if it slows down memory loss and thinking problems.

You may be able to join this study if you have Down syndrome, are between 35 and 50 years old and have a study partner.

For more information on what taking part in this study involves, read this leaflet or visit the ABATE website.

If you would like to join this study please contact CPFT's Windsor Research Unit on 
01223 219753 or email wru@cpft.nhs.uk.

Take part in the national GLAD study with CPFT, and contribute to the biggest project ever to find the Genetic Links for Anxiety and Depression.

40,000 people are needed (aged 16+, living in the UK) who have experienced clinical levels of depression and/or anxiety. Sign up online here: http://gladstudy.org.uk
If you take part, please record that you heard about the GLAD study from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) in the questionnaire.

Please share the details with family, friends and colleagues and retweet @CPFT_Research.

CPFT has joined national research to learn more about the genetic and environmental links to eating disorders and help to develop better treatments. 
The EDGI ( Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative)
Study with King's College London has been designed in collaboration with Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, and patients and service users.

Anyone aged 16 and over in the UK who has experienced an eating disorder is invited to take part and can sign up in four steps at: edgiuk.org.

Please say you heard about the study from CPFT to help our researchers and share the link with others.

National Centre for Mental Health - Maternal Mental Health Survey

The National Centre for Mental Health aims to improve diagnosis, treatment and support for people affected by mental illness. We are working with CPFT to understand the impact of life experiences on maternal wellbeing and mental health.

Help us make a difference by completing our maternal wellbeing and mental health survey.
You can take part online by using the following survey link:
https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90338261/msurvey?hb=cambridgeshireandpeterborough

If you have any questions about our research, please contact: info@ncmh.info / 02920 688401