QCAP welcomes the Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland
On 26th September 2023, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, the Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland visited QCAP. Siobhan and the team from the Office of the Mental Health Champion (Dr Nicole Bond and Maria Prince) met with members of the QCAP team, representatives from the Market Development Association and the Market community to discuss upcoming research plans.
Dr Andrew Grounds provided an overview of the QCAP approach, current strategy, and ongoing work within each of QCAP’s dimensions of place.
Dr Karen McGuigan presented our research plans related to tackling substance use, improving mental health, and developing the community wellbeing kitchen with our partners in the Market. Amanda Dylina Morse provided a snapshot of the work done in QCAP to develop the Community Indicators Data Dashboard, illustrating how government administrative data can be combined with local data from the Market Development Association, providing a community-centric data solution.
The QCAP team, alongside our partners from the MDA and Health Working Group, shared and discussed the processes around the co-development of the research plans and the proposed roll-out.
Professor O’Neill and the team discussed opportunities for translation and practical application of the research to improve mental health outcomes, reflect trauma informed practice, enable greater accessibility, reach and impact of the research within communities in Northern Ireland.
