ELSI-NAPS
Research Study
About
ELSI-NAPS is a research study that takes place in Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and in several universities in England. The primary aim of ELSI-NAPS is to extend the body of research on the ethical, legal and social issues arising from the introduction of novel neurobiological approaches to psychotic disorders. We do this by investigating relevant stakeholders’ perspectives, views, and conceptualizations.
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DATA COLLECTION COMPLETED: Data collection took place between September 2017 and January 2019.
Clinical research into the neurobiology of psychosis and schizophrenia has been performed for decades. However, the increased availability of imaging techniques, along with the expansion of psychiatry genomics have contributed to its implementation in recent years. While the implementation of clinical research and translation efforts is proceeding at a fast pace, a systematic examination of the ethical issues involved is still lacking.
Study Activities
We are ethicists and we conduct qualitative research. In ELSI-NAPS we use two research tools.
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First, we conduct individual interviews with researchers in psychology, psychiatry and mental health. We also conduct individual interviews with mental health professionals (e.g. mental health nurses, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists) working with NHS Mental Health Services.
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Second, we organise focus groups with carers and legal guardians of patients, or mental health service users, with a psychotic disorder. This, because we want to investigate carers’ opinions through open questions, discussion and participant interaction.
The ELSI-NAPS study team is based at the Department of Law, School of Social Sciences, The University of Manchester.
ELSI-NAPS was reviewed and granted favourable ethical opinion by North West—Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee, REC reference: 17/NW/0315. ELSI-NAPS was hosted by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
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If you want to know more about the the study, please get in touch.