Did you know that persistent loneliness is as damaging to your physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day?

For the final episode of our mental health mini-series, we’re joined by Dr Liz Littlewood and Professor Simon Gilbody from the University of York to explore the BASIL project. This massive research initiative stepped up during a global crisis to tackle a critical but overlooked issue: the mental health, depression, and rising isolation of older adults.

Listen as we discuss the incredible journey of adapting brief psychological support into a fully remote, "telephone-first" intervention. We dive into how behavioural activation helps people reconnect with what brings value to their lives, stripping away "psychobabble" to keep things straightforward and co-produced alongside experts and users. They also share the historic scale of the BASIL+ trial, the largest ever randomised controlled trial of its kind, and how its positive results are shaping the future of NHS care by moving from treatment to prevention.

Tune in to find out how a brief series of 30-minute phone calls managed to create a sustained reduction in depression 12 months down the line, and stick around for the end to hear a joke from the TV show Friends!

Find out more about BASIL: https://sites.google.com/nihr.ac.uk/basil/

Read the results paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666756823002386

Music by Matthew Bailey

How can digging into the past protect the future of mental health for older people in custody?

For the next episode in our mental health mini-series, we’re joined by Professor Amanda Perry and Professor John Schofield to explore the PAMHOP project. This pioneering feasibility study is tackling a critical but overlooked issue: the mental and physical wellbeing of older people in custody by introducing co-produced, interactive workshops directly in prison sites.

Listen as we discuss the massive gap in current research including a systematic review that did not find a single randomized controlled trial for this demographic. We dive into how the team designed and delivered custom interactive sessions, from archaeology activities to craft sessions and book clubs, with the goal of improving overall wellbeing. They also share how these insights are being used to develop a dedicated toolkit, providing prisons with a concrete framework to support mental and physical health of older people in custody.

Tune in to find out what happened when a workshop unexpectedly turned into a group song, and see how collaborating with the Prison Radio Association is amplifying the voices and restoring the confidence of people in custody!

Find out more about PAMHOP: https://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/research/mental-health/projects/physical-mental-health-older-prisoners/

Music by Matthew Bailey

With nearly 2.9 million people in the UK now economically inactive due to illness, how can we balance the drive for national productivity with the personal need for mental health recovery?

For the next episode in our mental health mini-series, we’re joined by Professor Rowena Jacobs and Professor Lina Gega to discuss the Support2Work project. This comprehensive national evaluation is investigating the impact of placing employment advisors directly into NHS Talking Therapies to help individuals navigate work-related challenges alongside their psychological treatment.

Listen as we chat about the staggering £200 billion annual cost of economic inactivity and whether combining practical job support with therapy offers better value for taxpayers than therapy alone. We explore the unique "UK-specific" nature of this crisis and how the team is using a mixed methods analysis and an elephant analogy to translate complex health economics into life-changing policy.

Tune in to hear how the project’s name, suggested by a service user, won over our hosts, and how these practical pathways to impact are helping to bridge the gap between clinical care and the labour market!

Find out more about Support2work: https://www.york.ac.uk/che/mental-health/support2work/