The Centre for Equity in Mental Health will open in April 2026 with South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust its lead NHS partner.

The centre will also collaborate with M-RIC, the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre and the Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre for future trials work.

Assessment of mental health services provision in Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield 2024-25 found long waiting lists for initial appointments, inaccessible services, inappropriate referrals to NHS mental health services and patients not being signposted to charities or voluntary organisations that could help.

Professor Caress, Professor of health services research, said: ‘We know from recent stakeholder engagement work that we undertook across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield that improving mental health is a priority in our localities but there are many challenges to maintaining good mental health and accessing support when needed. The funding from NIHR is both important and greatly valued, as it will be transformative for mental health research and service delivery across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.'