The Mind Matters Sarah Brown Mental Health Research Grant,
which has already funded three ground-breaking research projects, is now open
for further applications for £20,000 grants for research on all aspects of
veterinary mental health.
The grants were launched in 2019 in memory of elected RCVS
Council member Sarah Brown who tragically passed away in 2017 and this is the
third year of a five-year commitment to award the grants to fund research
focusing on prevention, diagnosis, intervention and treatment in relation to
the mental health and wellbeing of the veterinary professions.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Manager, said: “We are delighted
to open the Sarah Brown Mental Health research grants for the third year
running. Sarah was a passionate campaigner on issues surrounding veterinary
mental health and wellbeing and we are proud that we can fund some very
important research that, in time, will lead to beneficial effects and
interventions for the professions, in her name and with her family’s blessing.
“Applications for the grants are welcome from individuals
at all stages of their research careers, including those who have not
previously been published, and we welcome proposals on any aspect of mental
health or wellbeing within the professions. For example, previous recipients
have included Scotland’s Rural College for a project on mental health and
wellbeing amongst isolated farm vets in rural Scotland; a joint Royal
Veterinary College and British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society
project on the impact of racism on the mental health and Black, Asian and
Minority Ethnic vets; and a King’s College London research project on how moral
injury can cause psychological distress in vets.
“This year colleagues at our charity partner RCVS Knowledge
will also be offering expert one-to-one advice to potential applicants on
putting together research proposals – if you are interested please email me on l.quigley@rcvs.org.uk to arrange a
phone or video call at no cost.”
Those who wish to apply for the 2021 Sarah Brown Mental
Health Research Grant, should send their research proposal to Lisa Quigley on l.quigley@rcvs.org.uk by 5pm on Friday 30 April 2021.
On Friday 26 February 2021 Lisa will also be hosting a
session at The Webinar Vet’s Virtual Congress 2021 in which she will be giving
an overview of the process and talking to the lead researchers from some of the
recent grant recipients. The webinar takes place from 8pm to 9pm and you can
sign up to it online. www.thewebinarvet.com/pages/rcvs-mind-matters-initiative-virtual-congress-2021/
Applicants must be affiliated with a university and ethical
approval must be in place before any award will be paid. Proposals should be no
more than 3,000 words and include aims, methods, ethical considerations,
proposed timelines, project costings, and a bibliography. Proposals will be
judged on their relevance to the veterinary professions, the originality of the
proposed research and value for money.
The recipient will be decided in May 2021 and will be
invited to present their research findings at the biennial Mind Matters
Initiative Research Symposium in 2023.
