Lunatic Fringe

<p>For more than 20 years, we have worked successfully to ensure that people who experience mental distress can contribute to service commissioning to influence local mental health strategy through peer-led, community-based research. Changes in funding priorities for NHS England and local commissioners mean it is no longer possible to use this route to ensure that service users’ voices make a genuine difference to service design and delivery.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We will develop a Living Lab by building on extensive experience and contacts with arts organisations and researchers at The University of Liverpool. This hub will support peer-led research and public engagement about mental distress and community wellbeing, in collaboration with established university-based research groups.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A key part of the programme will be independent evaluation enabling us to fine-tune the approach to make it sustainable.</p>