COLLABORATION · Reducing the burden of offender mental illness in Europe: improving interorganisational collaboration between the mental health and criminal justice systems

This fellowship enriches international research cooperation between Norway and UK with the long term goal of reducing the social and economic burden of offender mental ill health on the EU. High levels of mental illness in the offender population places financial and logistical burden on European prisons. This is attributable to professionals in mental health (MHS) and criminal justice systems (CJS) not collaborating effectively when offenders present with mental illness. Offender mental health would substantially improve if MHS/CJS professionals were better prepared for collaboration across organizational boundaries. There is currently no pedagogical framework available that supports this training need. The development of such a framework requires interdisciplinary approaches combining knowledge of interprofessional practice (IPP) with knowledge of interprofessional pedagogy. To date, research in interprofessional education (IPE) and IPP have coexisted with little overlap in their activity, meaning that there is a lack of IPE grounded in strong understanding of practice based issues, or substantiated by research into collaborative practice. Similarly, efforts to prepare a collaboratively ready workforce lacks understanding of sound interprofessional learning theory and education methods that better prepare staff for collaborative practice, This project addresses this by bringing together a talented researcher experienced in interprofessional pedagogy together with European leaders in interorganisational integration, collaborative practice and innovation. Their combined skills allow the development of a practice relevant and evidence based pedagogical framework to underpin training that prepares MHS and CJS professionals to work collaboratively in the interest of the mental health of the offender population. This pedagogical framework has transferability to other EU and clinical/welfare contexts where collaborative practice across organisations is required.