Report from DH-funded Programme of Work 2006-2011
Between 2006 and 2011 the Department of Health provided funding to PSSRU to undertake a significant programme of research in three main areas: Social care commissioning and performance; Long-term care financing; and mental health economics and policy. The five year programme – which built on PSSRU's long-standing reputation for excellence in social care research - has been rated "excellent" by peer-reviewers for: evidence of a clear focus on the issues specified in the application; evidence of appropriate research design, methods of data collection and forms of analysis; appropriate outcome measures; the value of the likely product relative to cost; and relevance to policy or practice. A report outlining this programme of work is now available (DH_Final_Report|). PSSRU continues to undertake high-quality research in the above areas (see Research and projects| for further information).
Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention: The economic case
Researchers from PSSRU at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health and the Centre for Mental Health have reported on the economic case for mental health promotion and mental illness prevention and early intervention, helping the Department of Health assess the case for investment in this area and plan its new mental health strategy launched on 2 February 2011 (See No Health without Mental Health|).
The report, Mental Health Promotion and Prevention: The Economic Case|, identifies and analyses the costs and economic pay-offs of a range of interventions in the area of mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention. It models fifteen areas, including parenting interventions for children with persistent conduct disorders, workplace screening for depression and anxiety disorders, debt and the befriending of older adults. It finds that many interventions are outstandingly good value for money, low in cost and often become self financing over time, saving public expenditure.