Социальный работник Кейт Клисс получила награду Rising Research Leader за исследования в области психического здоровья

A social worker whose research is shaping mental health care has been named a Rising Research Leader. Katy Cleece is a social work research lead at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. She received the award as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The NIHR Research Leaders Prizes honour individuals making exceptional contributions to health and care research across the UK. Ms Cleece said: "I am thrilled to have my research activities recognised in this way. "I always thought research happened either in a laboratory or a university. "Research can take place anywhere, and can be led by anyone. "Inclusive research values the expertise of people who have lived experience of the issues or who aren’t connected to academic or clinical pathways." Her work focuses on improving care for mothers with serious mental illness, particularly those diagnosed with personality disorders or complex post-traumatic stress disorder who have had children removed from their care. She aims to identify missed opportunities for earlier intervention and provide support to mothers to improve mental health and reduce the number of children removed from biological families. Read more Lancashire vet launches a new pet healthcare plan with unlimited consultations Ofsted say children 'a priority' at Lancashire Council in glowing report How Dolly Parton helped Lancashire children discover a love of reading As part of the award, Ms Cleece will receive a £10,000 professional development award, paid to LSCFT, alongside access to tailored leadership and development opportunities. She described the award as a valuable opportunity to further her training and attend research conferences to expand her professional network. A formal prize-giving ceremony will be held at the 2026 NIHR Academy Conference in October.