Applications open for £20k Mind Matters Initiative mental health research grant

Applications have opened for a £20,000 mental health grant set up in memory of a vet, RCVS council member and mental health campaigner.

The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant was set up in 2019 and has provided funding for five innovative research projects.

Past projects to be awarded money were based on compassion-focused therapy for vet self-criticism and perfectionism, neurodiversity, well-being among isolated farm vets, the impact of racism on mental health and the impact of moral injury on mental well-being.

Criteria

Previous winners have not only received the funding, but the chance to present their findings at key conferences, including the MMI Symposium, and support from the MMI and RCVS to promote their study and recruit volunteers.

Applications will be welcome on any topic relevant to mental health, but in line with the MMI’s and grant scheme’s original aims, projects on the following will be of particular interest:

• veterinary suicide
• those with a strong focus on mental health, rather than well-being/wellness
• veterinary nurses, veterinary nursing students and non-veterinary members of the practice team (for example, receptionists)
• understanding experiences of minoritised groups within the veterinary team
• projects led by those who typically receive fewer opportunities in academia (for instance, student, minoritised groups or those with lived experience of mental health problems)

Fantastic research

Lisa Quigley, MMI manager, said: “Over the past four years, we have been fortunate to support some truly fantastic research projects within the veterinary mental health sphere.

“Sarah [Brown] was a strong mental health and well-being advocate with a particular passion for ensuring that those working in the veterinary professions were confident, happy, resilient and well supported. We are grateful to Sarah’s family for giving us their blessing and support to help continue her legacy through the Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant.

“The grant is open to anyone with a relevant research idea – whether that be a highly experienced researcher or someone just starting out in their career. All applications are anonymised and will be judged based on their quality, originality and relevance to the profession.

“Mental health research is of vital importance – both in theory and practice – and forms a vital part of our work at MMI. Our past projects have already proven to have real tangible benefits to veterinary teams and we look forward to seeing how our research projects will continue to drive positive change in the future.”

Full details are available on the MMI website and applications should be emailed to Lisa Quigley by 5pm on 31 May 2023.