Researchers from The University of Manchester and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC): Greater Manchester have been recognised at the NIHR20 Impact Prizes. The Preventing Suicide and Self-harm team, received a Highly Commended award, while another researcher, Dr Louise Gorman, contributed to a prize-winning cancer research project.

Highly Commended for research inclusion in suicide and self-harm prevention

The NIHR20 Impact Prize recognised the impact of research led by the NIHR PSRC: Greater Manchester on suicide and self-harm prevention, with the team receiving a Highly Commended award for their outstanding work for research inclusion.

Dr Leah Quinlivan holding the team’s Highly Commended NIHR Impact Prize 2026

The Preventing Suicide and Self-Harm team at the NIHR PSRC: Greater Manchester and the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide, Homicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH), based at The University of Manchester, were recognised for their work in improving access to psychosocial and personalised risk assessments in mental health services.

The team’s research showed that risk scales for predicting repeat self-harm and suicide were widely used, despite being ineffective, and identified considerable variation in the quality of care, which has significant patient safety implications.

Through close collaboration with people with lived experience and extensive stakeholder engagement, the researchers developed and implemented a Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) indicator and audit tool for psychosocial assessments, which helped drive a 10% national improvement in the proportion of patients receiving assessments consistent with NICE guidelines following self-harm. The team also supported 57 mental health trusts to replace their ineffective risk scales and stratification for suicide, with equity-informed, personalised assessments. In just two years, 98% of participating mental health trusts have initiated the process of doing so.

On receiving the Highly Commended award, Dr Leah Quinlivan, Senior Research Fellow at The University of Manchester, said:

“Self-harm and suicide prevention are key patient safety concerns, and there are substantial inequities in access to good quality and compassionate care. We are grateful to be recognised by the NIHR Impact Prize awards for our commitment to inclusion and for demonstrating the importance of patient involvement in transforming mental health services.”

The team’s work on self-harm psychosocial and risk assessment has influenced clinical guidelines, policy and suicide prevention strategies, helping to improve the quality and safety of care in mental health services. The work was a collaborative partnership between NIHR PSRC: Greater Manchester, NCISH, Culture of Care delivery partners, the Culture of Care programme safety delivery group, and lived experience partners and contributors.

Watch: Dr Leah Quinlivan introduces the highly commended research project from the Preventing Suicide and Self-harm team

Watch: Dr Emma Nielsen, lived experience co-lead for the risk assessment work conducted by the Preventing Suicide and Self-harm team, celebrates the team’s NIHR Impact Prize commendation for inclusion.

Award-winning research on Lynch syndrome and womb cancer

Dr Louise Gorman, Public and Community Involvement and Engagement Manager at the NIHR PSRC: Greater Manchester and host of the Voices for Safety podcast, contributed to the ‘Team Womb’ collective, which was awarded for its influential research into the link between Lynch syndrome and womb cancer.

The award was received at a ceremony in London by Professor Emma Davidson, lead of Team Womb, a collaboration of researchers based at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and The University of Manchester (UoM), supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC): Manchester.

Dr Louise Gorman (fourth from the left) with fellow members of ‘Team Womb’ at Saint Mary’s Hospital.

In celebration of the award, Louise said:

“I am deeply honoured to be part of the team receiving this year’s NIHR20 Research Team Impact Award. This recognition highlights the outstanding work of Team Womb in helping more people with endometrial cancer access testing for Lynch syndrome, enabling earlier answers, more personalised care and potentially life-saving prevention for patients and their families. By shaping NICE guidance and NHS practice, this multidisciplinary research, led by Professor Emma Davidson, is delivering meaningful change for people at increased risk of developing cancer.”

Read more about this year’s winners on the NIHR website.

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