Under the government’s mental health goals programme, funding of up to £50m over the next five years will be used to set up a cohort of 20,000 volunteers, with the aim of informing understanding of how biology links to mental health.

As part of the funding, a new ‘lived experience industry partnership’ will aim to bring in the views and experiences of people who have experienced mental health problems.

The funding will also be used to set up an industry alliance team which will offer companies and researchers access to the UK’s mental health research facilities, health data and support in clinical trials.

The government announced the funding on Friday 10^th October (Mental Health Day).

The government has established the mental health goals programme with the aim of accelerating the development of mental health medicines, technologies and therapies. The Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, will deliver investments focused on mental health research data and digital infrastructure.

Co-chair of the mental health goals programme, Professor Kathryn Abel, said the programme is “about creating a step change in the way we deliver innovation for improved mental health outcomes”.

Abel said: “Building the infrastructure and partnerships needed to make the UK the most attractive place in the world for mental health innovation is key for the investment needed for change. At its heart is a new kind of collaboration between people with lived experience and industry, built on mutual respect, aligned priorities and shared purpose. We cannot deliver meaningful progress without industry, and industry cannot succeed without listening to those most affected.”

Programme co-chair, Professor Husseini Manji, said: “By combining world-class research, data, and the wisdom of lived experience, we will help develop novel therapies tailored to patients’ needs. By embedding lived experience at the heart of research, we will ensure that new therapies are designed not just to work in theory, but to make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives.”