East Midlands Health & Care Professionals Research Scholarship Programme
Jenny Ness Lead Health Services Researcher (BSc , MSc)
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Background
Jenny is a Psychology (BSc) graduate with an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience. She has held numerous research roles within NHS mental health services and is passionate about embedding research practices and approaches into everyday clinical practice. She has built a team of twelve embedded researchers, which she leads within her Health Services Research role within the Research and Development department at Derbyshire Healthcare.
Jenny’s research interest and expertise is in self-harm and suicide. She is the Chief Investigator for the Derby Monitoring Study of Self-harm/ the Derby site of the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England (funded by the Department of Health and Social Care).
Scholarship Project Idea
To understand the prevalence and causes of vicarious trauma in mental health clinicians caring for patients who repeat self-harm, with a view to producing evidence-based guidelines and an implementation plan for NHS organisations to support their clinical workforce.
Scholarship Impact
“In 2023/24, I undertook a research scholarship funded by the CRN to further develop my research idea, and myself as a research leader. It provided me with ring fenced time to meet with research experts in the field, undertake Patient and Public Involvement work, develop a competitive research proposal and apply for PhD/Fellowship funding. The scholarship also provided me with many unexpected benefits, including links into broader networks, increasing opportunities for collaborations and partnerships, establishing long term PPIE opportunities e.g. Framework approach, Forum/network, and increased confidence in networking and in my own ideas.”