Publish date: 12 July 2024
A research paper by a team of NHS staff, including a doctor from Broadmoor Hospital, has been published by The Lancet Psychiatry.
The paper, titled "Forensic Mental Health: Envisioning a More Empirical Future", aims to reshape academic forensic psychiatry by addressing critical gaps in evidence and practice.
Dr Jonathan Hafferty, a consultant at Broadmoor Hospital and former research lead, collaborated on the study with John Tully, Danny Whiting, and Professor Seena Fazel of Oxford University.
The study highlights the importance of empirical data in guiding the treatment and management of individuals with mental health disorders who have committed serious offences, while also critiquing the current state of forensic mental health services.
Dr Hafferty, co-author of the paper, said it "sets out a vision for the future of academic forensic psychiatry" with the idea originating from the High Secure Hospitals Research Network (HSHRN), a forensic research network he set up when he was Broadmoor Research Lead.
The network covers the four high secure hospitals including Broadmoor, Ashworth, Rampton and Carstairs, and also large parts of other forensic and prison research.
The research paper provides recommendations to address the challenges facing forensic psychiatry, calling for more resources to conduct research and greater cohesion among national and international forensic mental health services.
By promoting empirical research into core interventions such as psychological therapies and pharmacotherapy, the authors aim to foster a more accountable and effective approach to forensic mental health care.
The publication of "Forensic Mental Health: Envisioning a More Empirical Future" represents a significant moment in the pursuit of evidence-based practices within forensic psychiatry.
For more information about the study, please visit the upcoming issue of The Lancet Psychiatry: Forensic mental health: envisioning a more empirical future - The Lancet Psychiatry.