TCD Researchers Awarded Grants to Improve Psychiatric Services

Posted on: 22 November 2010

Two Trinity College researchers from the Department of Psychiatry were recently awarded grants for their projects which intend to build capacity for better clinical services for individuals and families affected by psychosis.  Dr Brian Fitzmaurice, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry, and Dr Gary Donohue, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, based in TCD’s School of Medicine, received grants totalling in excess of €300,000 from the Genio Trust.  Their projects aim to harness innovation and best practice within services for individuals with disability or mental health difficulties.

Dr Brian Fitzmaurice will lead the project PROTECT, Personalised Recovery Orientated Treatment, Education and Cognitive Therapy.  PROTECT is a partnership project involving existing health, training and social care providers in Wicklow and the team will work closely with the DETECT early intervention service and the mental health support service, Shine.  The projects objectives are to ensure that those identified in need of early intervention by DETECT in Wicklow are able to access all of the services they need or choose.  A set of targeted interventions will be delivered in conjunction with DETECT and the individuals own community health team, which will include cognitive therapy, occupational therapy and family education.  PROTECT’s focus will be on those who experience difficulties accessing or receiving recovery orientated treatments in the early phases of psychosis and aims to develop personal recovery plans for all people diagnosed with a psychotic illness and to develop high quality material for national usage.  The initiative will educate stakeholders regarding psychosis, mental illness and potential for recovery and positive outcomes.

Dr Gary Donohue will lead a partnership project between TCD’s Department of Psychiatry and the mental health support service, Shine.  The initiative will increase the availability of cognitive behavioural therapy for individuals with psychosis and will establish a specialised training scheme in cognitive behavioural therapy for community based counsellors working within Shine, facilitated by Trinity College.   The project’s focus on improving the availability of psychological treatments for individuals suffering psychosis will involve the creation of a computerised cognitive remediation training programme targeting the more disabling cognitive deficits associated with the disorder.