Psychosis HIT

The Psychosis Health Integration Team (HIT) is a team of people who experience psychosis, their families and carers, researchers, mental health professionals, commissioners, service providers and other experts. They support the development of evidence-based services that will improve the lives of people with psychosis in our region, and beyond. This is done by hearing from people who experience psychosis and their families and carers, staff in mental health services and other settings.

The HIT aims to make the region a national leader in psychosis prediction, treatment and recovery.

Who’s involved

Service users, carers and the public are involved at all stages of the operation of the Psychosis HIT, along with some of the leading experts in psychosis in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The HIT is led by three directors:

• Dr Sarah Sullivan, Senior Research Fellow, the Centre for Academic Mental Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol
• Dr Simon Downer, Consultant Psychiatrist, Bristol Mental Health (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership) and Honorary Clinical Lecturer, Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, ISPS UK Trustee
• James Robinson, Peer Director, representing services users and carers as well as supporting and advising on public involvement and lived experience activity in the HIT.

Priorities

• Explore innovative approaches to working with people who experience psychosis
• Increase early identification of psychosis to avoid escalation of poor health outcomes and use of services
• Develop better local services aligned to the Community Mental Health Framework.

Get involved

If you are a person with lived experience, a service provider, commissioner, mental health professional, researcher or interested member of the public and would like to find out more or get involved, please join the network.

Latest

More than 150 delegates, including academics, clinicians and people with lived experience, joined the Psychosis HIT for its conference on 12 September 2023. Read the news story and see Sam Church’s illustrations from the day.