Research Fellow for the Shared Care fOr Physical and sExual HEALTH in youth with mental illness project (SCOPE for HEALTH project)

Post Summary

We are seeking to recruit a Research Fellow to work on the SCOPE for HEALTH (Shared Care fOr Physical and sExual HEALTH in youth mental health) work package of the VISTA project (VISion To Action for promoting mental health and recovery: An Implementation Science approach to “Sharing the Vision” - Ireland's national mental health policy). The VISTA project comprises six work packages that together focus on how recommendations within “Sharing the Vision” can be best implemented, thereby bridging the gap between policy and policy implementation. The SCOPE for HEALTH work package is led by Associate Professor Catherine Darker (TCD) and Dr Karen O’Connor (HSE) and Associate Professor John Paul Lyne (HSE).

Physical and sexual health needs of young people with mental illness are often overlooked in spite of increasing awareness of their importance in mental illness. This is highlighted further by the now established ‘mortality gap’ which suggests that individuals with mental illness have a shorter life expectancy by approximately 15 years. Understanding and improving this disparity in life expectancy needs to be prioritised in mental health services.

Recommendation 19 of ‘Sharing the Vision’ recommends “that the physical health needs of all users of specialist mental health services should be given particular attention by their General Practitioner. A ‘shared care’ approach is recommended”. However, such a shared care approach between primary and secondary care is not in place within Ireland. This work package will look to address this policy implementation gap and care gap to support the implementation of this recommendation.  

The SCOPE for HEALTH work package utilises a mixed methods study design. Initially a systematic review of barriers and facilitators to implementation of a shared care model for physical and sexual health for young people with mental health difficulties will be undertaken; quantitative analyses of the 4 waves of the Growing Up in Ireland's rich dataset will be conducted; a series of focus groups with stakeholders to elicit their views of determinants to implementation will also be conducted. The data from these projects will be synthesized to produce a definitive list of determinants for implementation. This will be matched to the Implementation Science CFIR-ERIC Matching Tool to match barriers to generic strategies for implementation. Those generic strategies will be tailored and made context specific to Ireland by undergoing a process of refinement and consensus building with different stakeholders such as policymakers, psychiatrists, GPs and patients. This will be achieved using a combination of World Café methodologies and Delphi Consensus techniques. By the end of this stepped process, we will have a content specific, feasible and stakeholder acceptable implementation blueprint for SCOPE for HEALTH.  

This post is offered on a full-time basis and will start immediately. The position will appeal to anyone who wishes to develop their research career and profile. The salary is commensurate with the IUA scale for a postdoctoral position. The post will primarily be based in the Institute of Population Health (IPH) in Tallaght however, the post may require travel to data collection sites.

Please note that Garda vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for a post.    

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), together with a cover letter (1xA4 page) that specifically addresses the duties and responsibilities of the post to: Associate Professor Catherine Darker  

At Trinity, we are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Trinity welcomes applications from all individuals, including those applicants with disabilities, those who may have had non-traditional career paths, those who have taken time out for reasons including family or caring responsibilities. We also welcome international applicants including those whom have been displaced due to war.

Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s premier University. We are an EU Sustainable Gender Equality Champion and we hold an Athena Swan Silver award, recognising our ongoing work to advance gender equality both within Trinity and in the Higher Education sector. Trinity is committed to supporting work-life balance and to creating a family-friendly working environment.