The Institute of Mental Health is a partnership between The University of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. It aims to help transform our understanding and treatment of mental illness through innovative research and pioneering educational activities.
Professor Nick Manning, Director of the Institute of Mental Health, said: “The Institute was only formed in 2006 and we can now be considered as the UK’s prime location for inter-disciplinary research in the mental health field. This move into purpose-built accommodation demonstrates the huge achievements we have made during that time and these excellent new facilities should provide the springboard for greater success.”
Professor David Greenaway, University of Nottingham Vice Chancellor, said: “This innovative new building will accommodate the Institute of Mental Health and high profile complementary practice-based programmes such as the NIHR CLAHRC and NHS East Midlands Leadership Academy. It enables us to bring together outstanding academic research and world-class clinical practice. The investment confirms our long term commitment to mental and integrated health and will underpin further growth in our research capacity and the creation of a centre of excellence for mental health teaching.”
The new building provides an opportunity to bring together the Institute with related leading healthcare programmes including the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (NIHR CLAHRC) for Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, the NIHR Mental Health Research Network East Midlands Hub in partnership with South Yorkshire Comprehensive Local Research Network, and the NHS East Midlands Leadership Academy.
The opening ceremony takes place a year to the day since the official ground-breaking ceremony and will be attended by representatives of the Institute, the University and Nottinghamshire Healthcare, partner organisations, and those involved in its construction.
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies said: “I am delighted to open this new research facility in Nottingham. Different forms of mental illness affect a significant proportion of people, and the research undertaken by the Institute of Mental Health will provide more evidence to improve the care and services for NHS patients and the wellbeing of the public.”
Professor Mike Cooke CBE, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, commented: “It is a great honour to have Dame Sally here to open this beautiful new home for the Institute of Mental Health. This partnership between the University of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Healthcare has proved a successful one and as the Institute develops and matures we are seeing the outcomes of our research activity making a real impact on patient services. Research to improve patient experience and outcome is becoming ever more important, within the integrated healthcare pathway we are now providing. I look forward to seeing more improved outcomes for our patients and service users in the future as the Institute continues to prosper in its new home.”
Architects for the building are Benoy, building contractors are G F Tomlinson Building Limited, structural engineers are Waldeck and services engineers are DH Squire.
Stuart Lawrence, Managing Director of G F Tomlinson, said: “G F Tomlinson are delighted to be working collaboratively alongside the University of Nottingham and other stakeholders to deliver this flagship development for the Institute of Mental Health and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which will provide important research facilities in the mental health field. We have extensive expertise working on a live University campus and in the delivery of high level sustainable buildings, both of which are vital attributes to the success of this scheme.”
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has 40,000 students at award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘the world’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking 2011.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health. The University won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2011, for its research into global food security.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest ever fund-raising campaign, will deliver the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news