Skip to main content
VISIT US

Search our site...

Skip to search results

Mental Health, Neurodivergence and Vulnerable Groups

  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Research centres and groups
  4. Mental Health, Neurodivergence and Vulnerable Groups

Our research group at London South Bank University aims to advance research in mental health, neurodiversity, and vulnerable populations. It brings together academics from across the university, service users/carers, other universities, local authorities, the NHS and clinical practice partners from the charitable sector, and from social care.

We aim to gain a deeper understanding of mental health experiences in vulnerable groups and among neurodiverse individuals. Through our research outputs, we strive to provide valuable insights and guide and influence the advancement of research and policy by fostering co-production and collaborations locally, nationally, and internationally.

We aim to participate in impactful research with real-world value for individuals and organisations and to conduct collaborative research through these partnerships, building research capacity throughout the wider health and social care workforces.

Research group meeting dates

  • Formal launch Friday 25th July 2025 (First meeting to establish the group TOR and agree on the programme).
  • Friday 31st October 2025
  • Friday 6th January 2026
  • Friday 17th April 2026

Research group activities

  • Research presentations – where researchers present their research projects and ideas in development or project findings.
  • Support members and wider University teams in applying for research grants.
  • Organising conferences/create opportunities for external speakers/collaborations.
  • Away-day workshops for peer review and mentoring activities where more experienced group members can support early career researchers, students/prospective PhD ideas and aspirations and research project opportunities.
  • Debate seminar events - where researchers across the different University Colleges and external partners can come and engage in a debate and research ideas.

Our multidisciplinary researchers within our centre are drawn from backgrounds in psychology, economics and nursing. Much of the work specializes in research that evaluates interventions for mental health conditions, including eating disorders, trauma, addiction, and cognitive behavioral therapy. As people with mental health conditions often experience physical conditions alongside, much of our research also explores ways to assist and support behavior change in chronic illnesses such as obesity and diabetes, with an emphasis on improving adherence to treatment regimes and lifestyle adjustments. Some of our groups’ members have recently developed expertise in evaluating Health Tech, assessing the impact of AI-driven healthcare technologies within the NHS and in collaboration with commercial partners.

Dr. Kerry Wood is a Chartered Health Psychologist and Senior Research Fellow. She specializes in improving outcomes for individuals with chronic mental and physical health conditions, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Dr. Wood is involved in several key projects, including studies on the health and experiences of informal carers in hospital-at-home services (NIHR), the concurrent treatment of trauma and eating disorders in NHS services, evaluating KidsTime as an intervention for children of parents with mental ill-health and a faith-based mental health intervention for Black Majority Faith Communities.

Dr. Ben Thomas is a Professor of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities. His research interests include addressing health inequalities for marginalized groups, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Dr. Thomas is involved in several key projects, including studies on the inclusion of older adults with learning disabilities and/or who are LGBTQ+ and interventions to improve their quality of life, access to podiatry services for patients living with severe mental health illness (SMI) the impact on their participation in activities and use of health and social care services, the current preparedness of the home care workforce in England and Wales is to support older (aged 60+) LGBTQ+ people and what is needed to improve their preparedness.

Professor Neil Brimblecombe is currently part-time professor of mental health and is a registered mental health nurse by professional background. He is Principal Investigator for an NIHR funded study into the well-being and experiences of informal carers in hospital at home services and is currently a researcher on a study examining the clinical use of a health and wellbeing measurement tool within community healthcare services. His other research interests include the mental health workforce and the history of mental health services.

Professor Chris Flood's research specializes in conducting economic evaluations alongside clinical trials, employing methodologies such as cost-utility analysis, cost-benefit analysis (including Willingness to Pay), and cost-of-illness studies. His work spans various health domains, including cardiology, arthritis, stroke, and mental health. Often working with vulnerable populations his research includes studies that explore patient safety, medication side effects, attitudes toward suicide, and the measurement of mental health-related utility using tools like the Standard Gamble and Time Trade-Off. He has researched the cost effectiveness of using peer support interventions, for individuals with depression and aphasia post-stroke and transformative justice approaches for women with convictions.

Current projects include:

  • The assessment of the EQ-5D funded by the EuroQol Group, investigating how healthcare professionals use the EQ-5D tool in community settings to support clinical decision-making.
  • An evaluation of debt management and financial support for vulnerable adults in inner London funded by Lambeth Council and Impact on Urban Health.
  • An exploration of the experience of mental health service users of access to podiatry services, funded by Great Foundations.
  • Research into Learning Disability in European Prisons
  • International book on the psychopharmacology of Learning Disability
  • Research exploring ways to enhance support for defendants with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) within Magistrates' Courts.

Work with us

For more information about how you can work with us, contact Professor Chris Flood at floodc@lsbu.ac.uk.