Promoting inclusivity by ensuring that all patients with mental health issues are offered research opportunities in the NHS

Research-active clinical services have lower mortality rates and produce higher quality care outcomes, however, recruiting participants to clinical research in the National Health System (NHS) remains challenging.1 A recent study, assessing the feasibility of clinical staff electronically documenting patient consent to discuss research participation, indicated very low patient uptake, limiting its effectiveness as a strategy for improving access to research.2 A follow-on study comparing this ‘opt-in’ approach with an ‘opt-out’ approach, whereby patients are informed about research opportunities unless they indicate otherwise, found that patients and staff favoured an ‘opt-out’ approach and wanted research to be more accessible.3

Subsequently, in August 2021, Count me In was developed and launched within Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust adult and older adult mental health services. Count Me In is an opt-out initiative and a 12-month implementation study, aiming to promote inclusivity by enabling greater equity of information provision…

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