Research Roundup: October – December 2025
Welcome to the latest roundup of research from South London and Maudsley, featuring updates from our Research and Development team, as well as news and events from across the Trust and our partners.
We continue to greatly value your help in signposting research participation opportunities for your patients. At a national level, the UK government has committed to reducing clinical trial set-up times to 150 days or less by March 2026, a goal stemming from the 10 Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan. This will mean promising treatments can reach patients more quickly.
At South London and Maudsley and King's IoPPN, we’re committed to improving our processes and meeting these ambitious targets. Currently, around 45% of our studies are approved within the required 60 days, and 14% recruit their first participant within the mandated 30 days. These are higher than the national average for NHS Trusts, but not yet good enough.
To boost performance, our new Quality Manager will lead an improvement plan, supported by an oversight committee. This group will monitor timelines and troubleshoot delays, which often stem from complex contracting, financial agreements, and busy support departments.
We’re also strengthening recruitment. Our Recruitment Committee now reviews strategies for every study during governance approval. With earlier planning and support from our central Delivery team - offering specialist advice, links into clinical teams, and additional resources - we expect more studies to hit the 30-day recruitment target.
This new national drive on the 150-day target will help accelerate research, bring studies to patients sooner, and improve NHS outcomes. It’s challenging, but our Joint R&D Office is well-placed to lead progress in mental health research governance.
We’ve also done work to increase the accessibility of our processes for Peer researchers – see update below.
Our featured research study of the week is the EDEN study, assessing the use of ketamine in people with anorexia nervosa and major depression. Please do tell people about it, and also encourage all your colleagues and patients to search for projects which might be relevant to them on our Take part in Research website.
Many congratulations to Professors Matteo Cella and Philip Shaw on their new research funding, and to Professors Mark Edwards, Sir Robin Murray and Dr Emily Finch for their Awards, as well as to the Maudsley Advanced Treatment Service who won the RCPsych Psychiatric Team of the Year Award for Research/Quality Improvement.
In December we held a festive ‘Big MAC’ (Medical Advisory Committee) conference highlighting the shared connections between SLaM and IoPPN colleagues, with talks focusing on research opportunities across the partnership.
Don’t miss out on reading about important new findings from research in the Trust below, as well as hearing about upcoming events!
— Professor Fiona Gaughran, Director of Research and Development, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Updates from the Research and Development team
Creating pathways: How a new R&D process is enabling peer researchers in the NHS
The Research and Development (R&D) department identified significant barriers for peer researchers - individuals without formal clinical or academic roles – wishing to contribute to NHS research. A recent case involving a doctoral student highlighted the lack of clear guidance on governance requirements, such as approval documents and access checks, which led to delays, distress, and ultimately the peer researcher’s withdrawal (read about their experience in this blog). This experience underscored the need for more inclusive and transparent processes.
In response, R&D reviewed its procedures and introduced key improvements to balance research integrity with accessibility. Changes include a streamlined application pathway, clearer eligibility guidance, tailored support for completing governance checks (e.g., Occupational Health and DBS), and the option to issue letters of access specifically for peer researchers. These revisions aim to ensure that the views of those with lived experience are more readily integrated into research design and delivery. This will foster a more inclusive environment aligned with national priorities for patient and public involvement.
Take part in mental health research
Life-changing research needs everyone to get involved. We are proud to be the leading mental health Trust for research participation in England. Join a study and shape the future of mental health treatments and care: Search for a study on our website.
Featured study: The EDEN Study: Exploring ketamine as a treatment for people with anorexia and major depressive disorder – read more about the EDEN Study
Research news from the Trust
Chief Medical Officer conference: Exploring AI in mental health and celebrating the festive season (23 Dec 2025)
In December, the Trust hosted the second ‘Big MAC’ (Medical Advisory Committee) conference with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN). A key focus for the event was research opportunities and an insightful discussion around AI in mental health at the Maudsley Debate.
Professor Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer and ‘Big MAC’ founder, said “The Big MACs are my favourite get-togethers of the year. It is just nice to spend time with colleagues and friends and discuss the things that matter to us. It is always especially nice to do this jointly with the IoPPN, and recognise our shared connections and goals.”
Social exclusion contributes to higher mortality in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, study finds (15 Dec 2025)
New research has found that social exclusion is a potentially contributing factor in premature death in people with severe mental illness in south London.
Supporting our young patients with psychosis and depression using AI: Researchers awarded almost £5m in funding (8 Dec 2025)
Patients and service users at South London and Maudsley will be one of the first to benefit from a multimillion-pound research into a new digital tool to help young people with psychosis and depression. Researchers have received £4.9 million to develop and evaluate an AI-supported intervention for cognitive difficulties in young people with psychosis and depression.
New spinout CogStack is unlocking the power of healthcare data through AI to transform clinical care (3 Dec 2025)
The spinout will advance the digital transformation at NHS organisations and international healthcare providers by improving data quality and health interoperability for patient care, patient safety, population health and research. It is a collaboration between King’s College London, UCL and a coalition of NHS Foundation Trusts (King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’, South London and Maudsley, and University College London Hospitals).
Prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Professorship awarded to Professor Philip Shaw (20 Nov 2025)
Professor Philip Shaw, Head of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at King’s College London and Director of the King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People, has been awarded a prestigious Professorship by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS).
Tackling loneliness through art, science, and shared lived experiences (18 Nov 2025)
As part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025, ‘Zine-making workshop: Stories of loneliness and substance use’ was held at Peckham Levels on 4 November 2025. Inspired by new research from the NIHR Maudsley BRC exploring the relationship between loneliness and health among people with substance use disorders, this workshop sought to share these findings in an accessible and creative way.
Mortality gap for people with severe mental illness is ‘hidden health crisis’, study finds (14 Nov 2025)
Research by King’s Health Partners, Maudsley Charity and the Policy Institute at King’s College London has shown that the UK public vastly underestimate the impact of severe mental illness (SMI) on life expectancy, typically guessing it reduces lifespans by just seven years on average, when the true figure is 15 to 20 years – cutting lives shorter than diabetes, severe obesity and even smoking.
Inequalities in mental health compulsory admissions worsened during the pandemic: Researchers call for Mental Health Act reforms (14 Nov 2025)
Researchers call for Mental Health Act reforms in light of new research showing striking ethnic inequalities in involuntary admissions to mental health units during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Huge wins for South London and Maudsley and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at the RCPsych Awards 2025 (10 Nov 2025)
Teams and individuals from across South London and Maudsley and the IoPPN have won many of the top prizes at this year’s RCPsych Awards 2025, with many more shortlisted. Professor Sir Robin Murray was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award recognising his decades of hard work and dedication.
Academics and clinicians discuss the rise in diagnosed neurodivergence in 62nd Maudsley Debate (6 Nov 2025)
Academics, clinicians, students, service users and members of the public came together in a packed Wolfson Lecture Theatre at Denmark Hill to debate whether the rise in diagnosed neurodivergence was due to increased awareness and recognition of hitherto undiagnosed people.
Research establishes wide variation in physical side-effects of antidepressants (22 Oct 2025)
Antidepressants differ widely in how they affect the body, according to new research from the IoPPN at King’s College London, in collaboration with the University of Oxford. Published in The Lancet, the large-scale study found that some antidepressants can cause clinically relevant changes in body weight, heart rate, and blood pressure within just a few weeks, while others appear largely neutral in their physical effects.
Welcoming first Maudsley Psychiatry Residents Research Attachment Programme cohort (21 Oct 2025)
The new programme, which had its first intake in August 2025, links Maudsley psychiatry residents with IoPPN researchers to explore the skills needed to develop pathways into research.
Professor Mark Edwards awarded the prestigious Stanley Fahn Presidential Lecture award by International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders (6 Oct 2025)
The Award is the highest honour that recognises an outstanding scholar and role-model clinician in the field of Movement Disorders. Professor Edwards is both a clinician working for the South London and Maudsley and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts and a researcher investigating disease pathology and treatments for conditions that involve both brain and body, such as Functional Neurological Disorder.
In the Media
The Guardian: ‘I’d run down the road thinking I was God’: a day at the cannabis psychosis clinic’, 16 November 2025
This feature includes interviews with participants in the Cannabis Clinic for Patients with Psychosis, based at SLaM and supported by research from the IoPPN.
BBC News: 'It gave me my voice back': How group singing is helping new mums with postnatal depression, 15 October 2025
BBC News visits a specially designed group singing intervention, Breathe Melodies for Mums, which is supporting mothers with postnatal depression. The research study was led by Breathe Arts Health Research, SLaM and the IoPPN.
Events and opportunities
Join the Research at the Trust Viva Engage group to get the latest updates (SLaM staff only).
Demystifying Impact: Harnessing an Entrepreneurial Mindset: 15 January, 2 - 5:30pm, Wolfson Lecture Theatre, IoPPN Main Building, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AB - Register
Explore how harnessing an entrepreneurial mindset can maximise the impact of research and ensure its sustainability. There will be opportunities and prompts to explore partnership working across the Trust and IoPPN. The event features a talk between Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence, Erika Brodnock, with Ben Davey, Chairman of Medi2data, a HealthTech company; a Non-Executive Director of PayPal in the UK; and an advisor to Conception X, the UK’s largest Deep Tech venture programme.
IoPPN's Got Talent 2026: 15 January, 6-8pm, Robin Murray A&B, IoPPN Main Building, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AB - Register
Come along and enjoy dance, music and comedy from IoPPN colleagues, with drinks and snacks to accompany the performances!
Discover Research - Online: 22 January 2026, 12 - 1:30pm, Online - Register
Have you ever wondered what ‘research’ means in mental health? Do you want to learn what research is happening at the Trust, how it works and how you can get involved Join a relaxed introduction to mental health research - whether you're thinking of taking part in a study or just curious to learn more. These are open to service users, carers, and anyone with lived experience of mental health.
Shaping a Better Future for Young People with Eating Disorders: 22 January 2026, 9.30 - 4pm, Great Hall, Strand Campus, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS - Register
Join us to explore the key findings and impact of EDIFY’s ambitious four-year programme of work. Alongside presentations from across the interdisciplinary EDIFY consortium we will have a host of internationally distinguished guest speakers who will reflect on how the EDIFY programme, and the eating disorder field, sit within the wider youth mental health arena.
Implementing Digital Interventions: Aligning evidence-based innovation with the DHSC 10 Year Roadmap: 29 January 2026, 9.30am - 5pm, Roben's Suite, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT – Register
Join the NIHR Maudsley BRC’s Digital Therapies theme for a full-day event exploring how digital health interventions (particularly in mental health) can be effectively implemented within the NHS in line with the Department of Health and Social Care’s 10-Year Health Plan for England. Whether you are a researcher, clinician, policymaker or academic, this event offers a space to connect and collaborate on the future of digital health.
Discover Research - The Wellness Centre (Croydon BME Forum), Croydon: 24 February 2026, 12 - 2pm - Register
Have you ever wondered what ‘research’ means in mental health? Do you want to learn what research is happening at the Trust, how it works and how you can get involved Join a relaxed introduction to mental health research - whether you're thinking of taking part in a study or just curious to learn more. These are open to service users, carers, and anyone with lived experience of mental health.
NIHR Maudsley BRC: Introductory Clinical Research Training Scheme: Application Submission Deadline: Monday 19 January 2026
Introductory fellowships will be funded for 24 months at 0.4 FTE and will be open to KHP employed and clinically active nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (AHPs) who wish to develop a clinical academic career in mental health or neuroscience research but have had limited research experience to date. All doctors and clinical psychologists are not eligible to apply.
NIHR INSIGHT Research Masters Studentship: Application closing date: 26 February 2026
The Research Masters Studentships, offered as part of the NIHR INSIGHT Programme South London, provide valuable training for health and care professionals seeking to pursue a research career. They provide training and exposure in real world research.
