Charley Hobson-Merrett
Profiles

Charley Hobson-Merrett

Research Fellow - Mental Health Evaluation

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)

Biography

Biography

Charley is a research fellow currently employed as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research South West Peninsula Applied Research Collaborative (PenARC) Mental Health Research Initiative. This role involves enabling mental health research across the South West of England. Charley has experience working with mental health trusts, GP practices and voluntary sector providers to evaluate interventions designed to improve mental health services. Her methodological expertise includes Realist evaluation, IPA, systematic reviews, and researcher in residence models.


Qualifications


2018- present PhD in Mental Health: Lancaster University
2015-2016 Masters of Research: Health and Wellbeing: University of Bath
2011- 2013 Postgraduate Certificate in Education: Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector: University of Greenwich
2004-2005 Postgraduate Legal Practice Certificate: University of the West of England, Bristol
2001-2004 Law Undergraduate Degree: University of Exeter

Roles on external bodies

Charley is a founding trustee for Free Your Instinct (http://freeyourinstinct.org/), a charity providing parkour (free running) classes for people with a recognised mental health need.

Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

MSc restorative dentistry, oral surgery and periodontology

2019 to present: supervision of year 3 student dissertations, providing methodological expertise to students undertaking systematic reviews. Marking of year 3 dissertations. Teaching: writing at a post-graduate academic standard; quality assessments in systematic reviews; different systematic review methodologies.

Medical students research placement

2022: Single day "introduction to research" workshop; supervision of two students for six week placement to undertake IPA analysis of PARTNERS2 data in order to investigate the experience of having a long-term mental health condition.


Research

Research

Research interests

Charley is a mental health researcher with a particular interest in research that improves the day to day well being and quality of life for people with mental health problems. Methodologically speaking, Charley is a mixed methods researcher, with particular interest and experience in Realist approaches and Realistic evaluation. She also has experience in randomised controlled trials, systematic reviewing and IPA. Charley is skilled in liaising with different NHS bodies to improve engagement with and appropriateness of mental health research. Where appropriate Charley draws on her own experiences of mental health problems, and experiences as a carer of someone with a mental health problem.

Other research

Previous to her current role Charley was working as researcher in residence with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust evaluating their work as an early implementer (https://openmentalhealth.org.uk/) site for the new community mental health framework (https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/cmhs/). This involved liaising with NHS staff, service users, voluntary sector staff, primary care staff and social care staff to understand the new systems put in place to date, and agree an appropriate and useful evaluation topic. Charley led a Realist evaluation of the extent and impact of cultural changes within the Trust as part of the transformation.

Prior to this Charley worked on the large NIHR funded PARTNERS2 programme (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8278501/). This programme looked to develop and test a new model of care for people with diagnoses of severe mental illness which utilises both collaborative care and coaching from a Recovery orientated perspective. During her time on this project Charley contributed to multiple workstreams: qualitative Realist process evaluation of fidelity, change and refinements to model; cluster randomised control effectiveness trial; Cochrane systematic review of collaborative care for severe mental illness; sub-study investigating the role of researcher rapport building and disclosure in conversations with research participants with diagnoses of severe mental illness. Results papers from this project are currently in press as of September 2021.

Charley's PhD focuses on the experience of coping with tiredness related side effects of antipsychotics, such as sedation, sleepiness, fatigue, and increased sleep. This includes a mixed methods review of the literature relating to prevalence, impact and management of these side effects, and a qualitative (IPA) exploration of the coping mechanisms deployed by those experiencing tiredness related side effects.

ROLES
2022 - present Research Fellow (PenARC Mental Health Research Initiative)
2021 - 2022 Research Fellow (researcher in residence) for the Community Mental Health Transformation Pilot Evaluation
2019 - 2021 Research Fellow on PARTNERS 2 Realist process evaluation and randomised controlled trial
2018 - 2021 band 6 Research Assistant on PARTNERS2
2017- 2018 band 5 Research Assistant on PARTNERS2

Grants & contracts

Jan 2021-Jan 2022 Richard Byng, Julia Frost, Ruth Gwernan-Jones, Charley Hobson-Merrett, Jo Day, Vanessa Pinfold, John Gibson. Optimising key components of the community mental health policy through implementation of the PARTNERS intervention: learning about personalisation, integration and team-based supervision. NIHR £150,000

Sept 2022-2024 Hobson-Merrett Charley, Byng Richard. Evaluating the Open Mental Health Alliance's Underserved Communities Project. Open Mental Health Alliance £50,000.

Publications

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals

Reilly S, Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Jones B, Richards D, Khan H, Gibson J, Cox M, Gask L, Huxley PJ, Druss BG, Planner CL. Collaborative care approaches for people with severe mental illness. Submitted to Cochrane Review 2022

Plappert H, Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Baker E, Bevan S, Clark M, Creanor S, Davies L, Denyer R, Frost J, Gask L, Gibson J, Gill L, Gwernan-Jones R, Hardy P, Hosking J, Huxley P, Jeffrey A, Jones B, Marwaha S, Pinold V, Planner C, Rawcliffe T, Reilly S, Richards D, Williams L, Birchwood M, Byng R. Evaluation of a primary care-based collaborative care model (PARTNERS2) for people with diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar, or other psychoses: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. BJGP Open. 2021 Jun 30;5(3):BJGPO.2021.0033. doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0033. PMID: 33785568; PMCID: PMC8278501.

The PARTNERS2 writing collective. Exploring patient and public involvement (PPI) and co-production approaches in mental health research: learning from the PARTNERS2 research programme. Res Involv Engagem 6, 56 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40900-020-00224-3

Articles
Frost J, Hobson-Merrett C, Gask L, Clark M, Pinfold V, Plappert H, Reilly S, Gibson J, Richards D & Denyer R (2023) 'Liquidity and uncertainty: digital adaptation of a complex intervention for people with severe mental illness during the COVID-19 lockdown' BMC Digital Health 1, (1) , DOI Open access
Byng R, Creanor S, Jones B, Hosking J, Plappert H, Bevan S, Britten N, Clark M, Davies L & Frost J (2023) 'The effectiveness of a primary care-based collaborative care model to improve quality of life in people with severe mental illness: PARTNERS2 cluster randomised controlled trial' The British Journal of Psychiatry 1-11 , DOI Open access
Plappert H, Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Baker E, Bevan S, Clark M, Creanor S, Davies L, Denyer R & Frost J (2021) 'Evaluation of a primary care-based collaborative care model (PARTNERS2) for people with diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar, or other psychoses: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial' BJGP Open 5, (3) , DOI Open access
Allen D (2020) 'Exploring patient and public involvement (PPI) and co-production approaches in mental health research: learning from the PARTNERS2 research programme' Research Involvement and Engagement 6, (1) , DOI Open access
Conference Papers

Hobson-Merrett C, Preston N, Simpson J. Prevalence, impact, and management of fatigue and sedation related side effects of antipsychotics in mental health patients living in the community: a systematic scoping review. Presented at The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2022; Tel Aviv

Hobson-Merrett C, Jones B, Gibbons B, Planner C, Richards D, J Gibson, Reilly S. Collaborative Care Approaches for People With Severe Mental Illness: A Cochrane Systematic Review. Presented at The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2022; Tel Aviv

SYMPOSIUM: CREATING EVIDENCE FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WITHIN A COMPLEX SYSTEM OF PRIMARY AND SPECIALIST CARE (Byng R, Hobson-Merrett C, Stirzaker A): Hobson-Merrett C Process Evaluation of the PARTNERS2 Trial of Collaborative Care for Severe Mental Illness; Evaluating Complex System Change in Community Mental Health, both presented at The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2022; Tel Aviv

Hobson-Merrett C and Jones B, Gibbons B, Planner C, Richards D, J Gibson, Reilly S. Collaborative Care Approaches for People With Severe Mental Illness: A Cochrane Systematic Review. Presented at South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2022; Exeter

Hobson-Merrett C, Preston N, Simpson J. Prevalence, impact, and management of fatigue and sedation related side effects of antipsychotics in mental health patients living in the community: a systematic scoping review. Presented at South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2022; Exeter

Hobson-Merrett C, Frost J, Gwernan-Jones R, Clark M, Denyer R, El Naggar S, Gask L, Gibbons B, Gibson J, Pinfold V, Reilly ST, Richards D, Saunders A, Smith D, Byng R. Realist process evaluation of the PARTNERS collaborative care intervention for people with diagnoses of severe mental illness. Presented at South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2022; Exeter

Richard D, Hobson-Merrett C, Creanor S, Jones B, Hosking J, Plappert H, Bevan S, Britten N, Clark M [...] Byng R. Effectiveness of a primary care based collaborative care model to improve quality of life in people with severe mental illness: the PARTNERS2 cluster randomised controlled trial. Presented at South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2022; Exeter

Hobson-Merrett C, Gwernan-Jones R, Frost J, Reilly S, Byng R. Realist-Driven Process Evaluation As A Fidelity Marker In Complex Interventions: a case study. Submitted for presentation at: International Conference for Realist Research, Evaluation and Synthesis; 2020; Dublin. (Presentation delayed to 2021 due to covid-19)

Gwernan-Jones R, Hobson-Merrett C, Frost J, Pinfold V, Birchwood M, Reilly S, Gask L, Byng R. Realist-Driven Process Evaluation: working to capture complexity by adopting three levels of case study analysis. Submitted for presentation at: International Conference for Realist Research, Evaluation and Synthesis; 2020; Dublin. (Presentation delayed to 2021 due to covid-19) 

Hobson-Merrett C, Kirkpatrick T, Weston L, Byng R. Realist Process Evaluations in Randomised Controlled Trials: pragmatic or tokenistic? Presented at the International Association for Critical Realism – 22nd Annual Conference; 2019; Southampton.

Gibbons B, Hobson-Merrett C, Byng R, Birchwood M. The Challenges of Implementing and Testing a Collaborative Care Service for People with Psychosis: reflections and advice for trialists. Presented at The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2019; Lisbon.

Gibbons B, Hobson-Merrett C, Byng R, Birchwood M. Recruitment of Psychosis Patients to Cluster Randomised Controlled Trials: regional variations and strategies to maximise enrolment in PARTNERS2. Presented at: The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2019; Lisbon.

Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Britten N, Baker E, Birchwood M, Byng R. PARTNERS2: trial of an individualised care model for people with diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar and psychoses. Poster presentation at: The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2019; Lisbon.

Byng R, Chew-Graham C, Pizzo M, Maidment I, Hobson-Merrett C, Robotham D. Creating Primary Care And Community Mental Health Services Which Are Balanced, Coherent, and Address Inequality. Symposium presentation at: The European Network for Mental Health Service Evaluation; 2019; Lisbon.

Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Gibson J, Rawcliffe T, Williams L, Reilly S, Byng R, Birchwood M. Recruiting to Cluster Randomised Controlled Trials: Challenges and regional variations. Presented at: South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2019; Southampton. **Winner of "Best Elevator Pitch" Award**

Gibbons B, Hobson-Merrett C, Rawcliffe T, Gibson J, Williams L, Pinfold V. Conversations With Participants: researcher perceptions of self-disclosure and rapport building when recruiting people with serious mental illness. Presented at: South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2019; Southampton.

Reilly S, Hobson-Merrett C, Gibbons B, Plappert H, Gask L, Planner CL. Are Collaborative Care Approaches Effective For People With SMI Who Are Living In The Community? Poster presentation at: Society for Academic Primary Care – 48th Annual Scientific Meeting; 2019; Exeter.

Hobson-Merrett C, McCabe C, Reilly S, Byng R, Birchwood M. Trials and tribulations: case study of procedural and governance issues for setting up a complex intervention trial. Poster presentation at: South West Society for Academic Primary Care – annual research meeting; 2018; Plymouth.

Sayers R, Pinfold V, Dawson P, Gibbons B, Gibson J, Hobson-Merrett C, McCabe C, Rawcliffe T. Moving From Patient And Public Involvement Towards Co-Production In A Large Trial For Supporting People With Ongoing Mental Health Needs in Primary Care: the PARTNERS2 experience. Presented at NIHR INVOLVE Conference; 2017; London.

Internet Publications

Blog: 

“Primary Care - Coming Together” - a personal reflection on the annual Society for Academic Primary Care's regional annual conference

https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/news/cpcrg-blog-4/

Reports

Hobson-Merrett C, Hardwick B, Gibson J, Ritchie L, Stirzaker A, Pinfold V, Byng R. Somerset Community Mental Health Transformation: a realist evaluation of cultural change. Submitted to Open Mental Health Steering Group, 2022.

Plappert H, Byng R, Reilly ST, Hobson-Merrett C, Allard J, Baker E, Britten N, Calvert M, Clark M, Creanor S, Davies L, Denyer R, Frost J, Gask L, Gibbons B, Gibson J, Gill L, Gwernan-Jones R, Hosking J, Huxley P, Jeffery A, Jones B, Keeley T, Laugharne R, Marwaha S, Planner C, Rawcliffe T, Retzer A, Richards D, Williams L, Pinfold V, Birchwood M. PARTNERS2: Developing and evaluating a primary care based collaborative care intervention for individuals with severe mental common mental health problems final report.  Submitted to National Institute of Health Research, 2022.