Dr Alina Haines-Delmont

All the research activities and projects I am currently involved in have a strong focus on co-production, impact on policy and practice, people, attitudes and lived experiences. I achieve this by working closely with Think tank groups to lobby and promote policy change at government/parliamentary level. The IMPROVE-ACT project (https://www.mmu.ac.uk/research/research-centres/hpac/projects/marginalised-groups-mental-health) is an excellent example of such commitment, working with Policy Connect to conduct parliamentary symposiums to use evidence from research and lived experience to inform the ongoing reform of the Mental Health Act: ImprovE-ACT | Policy Connect

Another example is the RRN Training Standards project, working closely with regulatory authorities and key organisations targeting the reduction of the use of restrictive practices in health and social care settings, for example, the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN). A key outcome of the project was collaborative work with the RRN, BILD Association of Certified Training (BILD Act), and certified training organisations (or those working towards certification). This resulted in RRN using our research findings to inform guidelines and practice, for example the development of version 2 of the RRN Training Standards 2019: https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/uncategorized/new-report-evaluating-the-implementation-of-rrn-training-standards-in-mental-health-and-learning-disability-settings/.

My work with Mersey Care NHS Trust over the last 15 years has been developed with clinicians and people with lived experience and has had an impact on decision making regarding care pathways for people in forensic settings; the trust’s commissioning and use of digital technologies for self-harm and suicide prevention, risk assessment tools for management of violence and aggression in forensic settings; and medics’ experiences and attitudes regarding the value of research in clinical settings. More recently, a key outcome of the RRP Guide project was producing evidence showing a reduction of conflict and containment within inpatient settings following the implementation of an organisational ‘No Force First’ restraint reduction programme, as well as the co-development of recommendations on how the benefits can be sustained and practice can be improved. These have been taken on board by the trust for the development of their updated Restraint Reduction guidelines.

More recently, I was offered the opportunity to work with Mersey Care NHS FT in a strategic role to advise on the shaping of a new service for a cohort of individuals with complex needs in relation to violence harm reduction/prevention. This is a 3 years collaboration starting in April 2024, with significant potential to influence practice as it develops.

I am currently the PI on a study evaluating the National HOPE(S) Programme to end long-term segregation (LTS) for all children and young people, autistic people and/or people with learning disability in inpatient hospital settings. This is an excellent opportunity to work collaboratively with staff and people with lived experience to co-create change and inform  policy and practice in this important area of work.

Part of a solid community engagement programme supported by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the British Science Association (BSA) is supporting community leaders to pair with researchers who want to do some deeper engagement with community groups in their local area. The mission of this collaboration, called the Community Buddy Grant Scheme, is to connect and empower collaboration between the two parties - Buddy pairs. I was paired with Helen Clark, the Community leader from Pennine Lancashire Community Farm (PLCF) and we were successful in getting a BSA grant to achieve set community engagement goals. The overall aim of the project was to co-create research ideas and questions that are specific to the local community of Burnley involved in Pennine Lancashire Community Farm (PLCF) activities. The following report was produced and disseminated widely in the community: Haines-Delmont, A., Clark., H., Goodall, K., & Thomson, M. (2024). Understanding the social impact of the Pennine Lancashire Community Farm on local communities: a co-created project. A report covering activities emerging from the Community Buddies Scheme collaboration between Helen Clark, at the Pennine Lancashire Community Farm (PLCF) and Alina Haines-Delmont, at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). January 2024. 

In terms of external visibility and academic citizenship, I am a significant contributor to a wide range of scholarly activities, supervising/mentoring junior staff and postgraduate researchers; a member of relevant research groups and networks within MMU and beyond, nationally and internationally; peer reviewer for ethics applications; peer reviewer for the NIHR and for relevant scientific journals in the area of mental health.

Projects I am currently involved in as a Principal Investigator (PI), project manager or co-investigator include:

• Current Principal Investigator (former project manager/co-investigator): A NIHR funded mixed methods study exploring the experiences of Black African Caribbean Men Detained Under the Mental Health Act with the view to develop an intervention which will reduce detention rates and improve experiences (January 2021; 48 months; £796,579): https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR201715Principal Investigator (PI): A Mersey Care/NHSE funded “Evaluation of the National HOPE(S) Programme to end long-term segregation (LTS) for all children and young people, autistic people and/or people with learning disability in inpatient hospital settings” (23 months: 01/08/22 – 30/06/24; £248,748.04)
• Principal Investigator (PI): An NHS funded study exploring “Models of care for people with learning disabilities and/or autism with forensic needs who require detention under MHA in secure settings: a mixed methods study” (22 months: 01/09/2022 – 30/06/2024; £195,459.34)
• Principal investigator (PI): A Burdett Trust for Nursing funded project exploring the implementation of the ‘Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) Training Standards 2019’ in mental health Trusts in England (January 2021; 12 months; £84,348): https://www.btfn.org.uk/grant-programmes/
• Principal Investigator (PI): A commissioned evaluation of the Implementation of Mersey Care Trust’s Guide to Reducing Restrictive Practice in Mental Health Services (01/11/2019-31/05/2022; £65,018): https://www.hra.nhs.uk/planning-and-improving-research/application-summaries/research-summaries/reducing-restrictive-practices-evaluation/
• Project manager and co-investigator: A NIHR funded realist review of approaches used to prevent and reduce the use of restrictive interventions on adults with learning disabilities in NHS and independent sector settings (September 2020; 20 months; £326,794): https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR129524
• Co-investigator: A mixed methods ESRC funded study that involves an in depth investigation of domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) and the use of experience based co-design (EBCD) methodology with the view to influence policy and practice to prevent future domestic homicides of women (May 2019, 36 months; £508,436): https://www.mmu.ac.uk/health-psychology-and-communities/our-expertise/global-perspectives-marginalisation-and-thriving-communities/homicide-abuse-learning-together-halt/.

PGR supervision:

• PhD students in the area of mental health
• MSc Mental Health Nursing Dissertation
• MSc Global Health Dissertation 

Delivering various lectures, including:

• UK and European perspectives on coercive practices in mental health - Global Mental Health (Masters in Public health programme)
• Suicide prevention and Self harm - LMECC MH  students (Year 3)
• Mental Health Detention - Diversity in Nursing Practice Unit (Year 2 Nursing Students)

I have published papers in a wide range of peer reviewed journals, book chapters, peer-reviewed reports and practitioner focused publications/press. These covered self-harm and suicidal behaviour, reduction of coercion and restrictive practices, domestic violence, mHealth, violence risk and protective factors in mental health settings, offender and forensic mental health, children and young people’s mental health. Latest publications include:

• *Haines-Delmont, A., Bjørngaard, J.H., Brown, A., Bruen, A., Tsang, A., Wall, A., & Whittington, R. (2024). Dynamic relationship between protective factors and violent outcomes assessed using the Structured Assessment of Protective Factors (SAPROF) in UK secure forensic services. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice, DOI: 10.1080/24732850.2024.2317742.
• Whittington, R., *Haines-Delmont, A., & Bjø‌rngaard, J. K. (2023). Femicide trends at the start of the 21st. century: Prevalence, risk factors and national public health actions, Global Public Health, 18:1, Paper accepted for publication on 5th May 2023. DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2225576.
• Lantta, T., Duxbury, J., Haines-Delmont, A., Björkdahl, A., Husum, T.L., Lickiewicz, J., Douzenis, A., Craig, E., Goodall, K., Bora, C., Whyte, R., & Whittington, R. (2023). Models, frameworks and theories in the implementation of programs targeted to reduce formal coercion in mental health settings: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry 14:1158145. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1158145.
• Mulholland, H., Whittington, R., Steven, L., Haines-Delmont, A. et al., (2023). A longitudinal investigation of the presence of different trajectories and associated health and socio-economic determinants, for participants who report suicidal ideation within a community-based public health survey. BMJ Open 13:e063699. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063699.
• Efthyvoulos, D., Joyce, D., Dempsey, R., Haines, A., Spirakis, P., Shi, L., & Maskell, S. (2023). Probabilistic Decision Trees for Predicting 12-Month University Students Likely to Experience Suicidal Ideation. In I. Maglogiannis et al. (Eds.): AIAI 2023, IFIP International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Applications and Innovations AICT 675, pp. 475–487, 2023. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Part of the book series: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology (IFIPAICT, volume 675). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34111-3_4
• Craig, E., Heyes, K., Bracewell, K., Haines-Delmont, A., Duxbury, J., Chantler, K. (2023). Experience-Based Codesign (EBCD) for Sensitive Research. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham.
• *Haines-Delmont, A., Tsang, A., Szifris, K., Craig, E., Chapman, M., Baker, J., Baker, P., Ridley, J., Thomson, M., Bourlet, G., Morrison, B., Duxbury, J. (2022). Approaches used to prevent and reduce the use of restrictive practices on adults with learning disabilities: protocol for a realist review. PLOS ONE 17(9): e0270028. Published on 28^th September 2022.
• Haines-Delmont, A., Goodall, K., Duxbury, J., and Tsang, A. (2022) An evaluation of the implementation of a ‘No Force First’ informed organizational guide to reduce physical restraint in mental health and learning disability inpatient settings in the UK. Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol13. Special edition on ‘Coercion in Psychiatry: Epidemiology, Effects and Prevention’. Accepted for publication on 3rd January 2022.
• Haines-Delmont, A., Bracewell, K., & Chantler, K. (2022). Negotiating organisational blame to foster learning: professionals’ perspectives about Domestic Homicide Reviews. Health & Social Care in the Community. Accepted for publication 20^th January 2022.
• Bracewell, K., Jones, C., Haines-Delmont, A., Craig, E., Duxbury, J., & Chantler, K. (2021). Beyond Intimate Partner Relationships: Utilising Domestic Homicide Reviews to Prevent Adult Family Domestic Homicide. Journal of Gender-Based Violence.
• Rogerson, M., Haines-Delmont, A., McCabe, R., Brown, A., & Whittington, R. (2021). The relationship between inpatient mental health ward design and aggression, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Volume 77.
• Whittington, R., Pollak, C., Keski-Valkama, A., Brown, A., Haines-Delmont, A., Bak, J., Hvidhjelm, J., Almvik, R., & Palmstierna, T. (2021) Unidimensionality of the Strengths and Vulnerabilities Scales in the Short-Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START), International Journal of Forensic Mental Health.
• McIntyre, J., Elahi, A., Latham, C., Mulholland, H., Haines-Delmont, A., Saini, P., & Taylor, P. (2021). Does neighbourhood identification buffer against the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on self-harm? Journal of Affective Disorders. Paper accepted for publication on 29^th July 2021
• Mulholland, H., McIntyre, J.C., Haines-Delmont, A. et al. (2021). An investigation to identify individual socio-economic and health determinants of suicidal ideation using responses to a cross-sectional, community-based public health survey. BMJ Open 2021;0:e035252.

I have presented findings to a wide range of audiences, including fellow academics, practitioners and people with lived experience. I contributed to events both as an invited (key) speaker and conference paper or poster presenter. I am a significant contributor to a wide range of scholarily activities, supervising/mentoring junior staff and postgraduate researchers; a member of relevant research groups and networks within MMU and beyond, nationally and internationally, and peer reviewer.