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The Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research
Shaping Better Mental Health Across Lincolnshire
The Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research (LUMHR) is a major new initiative led by the University of Lincoln and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Established through a £10.96 million NIHR award, LUMHR aims to become a centre of excellence for applied, place- based mental health research focused on improving mental health outcomes in rural, coastal, and small urban communities across Lincolnshire , while generating learning and impact that extends beyond the county.
Grounding Mental Health Research in the Realities of People's Lives
People living in rural, coastal, and small urban communities often face unique challenges that can affect mental health and wellbeing, yet these populations have historically been underrepresented in mental health research. LUMHR will help improve mental health and wellbeing across Lincolnshire through co-production, working closely with local people, health and care services, and community organisations. Our work will focus on understanding the mental health needs of people in communities like ours, finding new ways to support them, and making sure that help is accessible, timely, and effective.
Our goal is to ensure that the research we do directly benefits local people and is designed with them around their priorities and experiences.
- We will establish Lincolnshire as a leading place for applied mental health research, grounded in the realities of rural, coastal, and small urban-deprived communities.
- We will build a place-based, co-produced research infrastructure that supports the development, testing, and implementation of practical solutions to improve mental health and reduce inequalities.
- We will do this by bringing together research evidence, local expertise, service data, lived experience, and community insight.
About The Research
Our research is funded through the NIHR Mental Health Research Groups (MHRG) programme, which supports the development of applied mental health research in areas with high levels of mental health need but lower levels of research activity.
The five-year award will also help us to build lasting local research capacity through training, career development, and partnerships.
LUMHR is organised around three interconnected themes that explore the factors influencing mental health in rural , coastal, and small urban communities, helping to guide research that addresses local needs and priorities:
Connect, Prevent, and Respond.
- Prevent – Helping people and communities stay well
- Connect – Improving access to mental health support
- Respond – Improving crisis care and suicide prevention
Across these themes, our work includes understanding need, co-designing solutions, testing approaches in real-world settings, and using findings to guide further research and decisions about implementation.
Previous Research
The Guiding Lincolnshire’s Mental Health Research (GLiMHR) Project preceded LUMHR and achieved its core aim of identifying research priorities for future mental health research in Lincolnshire.
GLiMHR identified the top 10 mental health research priorities for Lincolnshire, chosen through an d inclusive process that included , public surveys, workshops, and conversations with people who have experienced mental health difficulties, carers, and professionals.
Finding s from the GLiMHR project helped shape LUMHR’s research programme, including the Connect, Prevent, and Respond themes.
Partners
In LUMHR we work collaboratively with local people, health and care services, community organisations, and academic partners, including :
- Lincolnshire County Council
- Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Every-One
- Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
- University of Nottingham (mentor university)
And other specialist and academic partners:
- University of York
- University of Bath
- Centre for Mental Health
- Common Knowledge Cooperative Limited
Contact Us
Whether you bring personal insight, professional experience, or community knowledge, your voice matters. If you’d like to learn more, collaborate with us, or get involved, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us at lumhr@lincoln.ac.uk.
Alternatively, visit our website at Lincolnshire Unit for Mental Health Research.