We are delighted to announce that Dr Jed Jerwood is the first Art Psychotherapist to have been granted a NIHR Senior Clinical Research Practitioner Award.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Clinical Practitioner Research Award is a new award intended to support underrepresented professions such as nurses, midwives and Allied Health Professionals to develop their research roles in clinical academic practice.

Funded for the next three years, this award will positively impact on the care of service users and families, focusing on addressing two areas of health inequality. Firstly, in continuing research to improve palliative and end of life care for people with mental ill health and life-limiting illnesses. Secondly, in furthering research into how the arts therapies can support access to psychological therapies for marginalised people and communities.

Dr Jerwood, who is an Art Psychotherapist at BSMHFT and holds an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor role at the Institute of Clinical Sciences at the University of Birmingham is the first Art Psychotherapist to hold such an award.

Dr Jerwood said:

I am really pleased to have been successful in this application and to be able to continue to be part of the development of clinical academic career pathways for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. This award allows me to build on my doctoral research which focused on improving end of life care for people experiencing mental ill health and my work on the No Barriers Here programme, as well as further developing research partnerships internationally and scoping the research needs of the arts psychotherapies service.

Francesca Norouzi, Consultant Art Psychotherapist and Head of Arts Psychotherapies at BSMHFT said:

“Over the last 10 years, Dr Jerwood has shown an unwavering commitment to advancing clinical research to address issues of health inequality experienced by people accessing healthcare. I am extremely proud of Jed and his achievements; he has not only championed innovative research but has also played a crucial role in evidencing the unique and transformative skills of art psychotherapist. In response to his significant achievement in securing this award, BSMHFT have supported the development of the first Advanced Clinical Academic Art Psychotherapist role, and I look forward to seeing the continued impact of Jed’s contribution to healthcare and clinical research in the future.”

This award recognises the exceptional talent and dedication of researchers and their commitment to advancing healthcare through cutting-edge research and innovation, we would once again like to congratulate Dr Jerwood for his outstanding contribution to supporting service users, carers and families across the country.