Cardiff welcomed delegates to the 23^rd International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference (#MHNR2017), which took place at City Hall on September 14^th and 15^th 2017. This was the conference’s first visit to Wales, with the theme for the year being Imagination, Invention and Inquiry. Papers were welcomed emphasising the need for new ideas, new research and new ways of providing services. As a curtain-raiser, with the involvement of André Tomlin (aka The Mental Elf), keynote speakers took part in a pre-conference streamed webinar which can still be viewed .

#MHNR2017 (which until last year was known as the Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research Conference), was organised jointly by Mental Health Nurse Academics UK (MHNAUK) and the Royal College of Nursing. It remains the UK’s leading annual event of its kind. Chair of the conference steering committee for this year was Professor Ben Hannigan from the School of Healthcare Sciences, who opened proceedings with a welcome address. Across the two days keynote speakers (all of whom were live streamed) were Professor Joy Duxbury, who drew on her programme of research into reducing restrictive practices; Dr Phil Cooper, Danny Sculthorpe and Jimmy Gittins who gave inspirational talks drawing on the personal experience of mental distress and their work with State of Mind; Dr Jay Watts, who challenged delegates to embrace the idea of trauma-informed care; Professor Paul French, who spoke as one of two inaugural MHNAUK Lecturers on his programme of research into psychosis; Dr Michael Coffey, the second inaugural MHNAUK Lecturer, who talked about the problem of assessing risk; and Professor Gary O’Reilly who introduced his research into the use of computer games as a vehicle for the provision of psychological therapies for young people with mental health difficulties.

#MHNR2017 also provided an opportunity for Cardiff academics to showcase their research and engagement activities. Delegates were introduced to the ongoing 3MDR for treatment resistant post-traumatic stress disorder study, led by Professor Jon Bisson. Ben Hannigan presented a new analysis from the Collaborative Care Planning Project (COCAPP) of the practice and processes of care coordination, and introduced a paper uniting theory, design and research methods for the study of complex mental health systems. Dr Nicola Evans talked of her work with colleagues in Canada and Australia on benchmarking competencies for mental health nurses working in child and adolescent mental health services, and Alicia Stringfellow and Gemma Stacey-Emile talked of their work promoting mental health and wellbeing in Grangetown through the Community Gateway project. John Hyde presented his research into the boundaries between community mental health teams and crisis resolution and home treatment services.

Planning for #MHNR2018 will begin shortly, with updates available via the conference twitter account.

Fe groesawyd cynrychiolwyr i Gynhadledd Ymchwil Ryngwladol Nyrsio Iechyd Meddwl (#MHNR2017) yn Neuadd Dinas Caerdydd ar 14 ac 15 Medi 2017. Dyma’r 23ain tro i’r gynhadledd gael ei chynnal. Hwn oedd y tro cyntaf i’r gynhadledd ymweld â Chymru, a Dychmygu, Creu ac Ymchwilio oedd y thema eleni. Croesawyd papurau oedd yn pwysleisio bod angen syniadau newydd, ymchwil newydd a ffyrdd newydd o gyflwyno gwasanaethau. Yn rhan o ddigwyddiad rhagarweiniol oedd yn cynnwys André Tomlin (The Mental Elf), fe gymerodd y prif siaradwyr ran mewn gweminar cyn y gynhadledd, ac mae ar gael i’w gwylio o hyd.

Fe gafodd #MHNR2017 (neu Gynhadledd Ymchwil y Rhwydwaith Nyrsio Seciatryddol, fel yr oedd yn cael ei galw tan y llynedd) ei threfnu ar y cyd gan Academyddion Nyrsio Iechyd Meddwl y DU (MHNAUK) a’r Coleg Nyrsio Brenhinol. Mae’n parhau i fod y digwyddiad blynyddol mwyaf blaenllaw o’i fath yn y DU. Yr Athro Ben Hannigan o Ysgol y Gwyddorau Gofal Iechyd, oedd cadeirydd pwyllgor llywio’r gynhadledd eleni, a dechreuodd y gynhadledd drwy gyflwyno gair o groeso. Yn ystod y ddau ddiwrnod, roedd y prif siaradwyr yn cynnwys yr Athro Joy Duxbury, fu’n sôn am ei rhaglen ymchwil am leihau arferion cyfyngol; Dr Phil Cooper, Danny Sculthorpe a Jimmy Gittins a roddodd gyflwyniadau ysbrydoledig wrth sôn am eu profiadau personol o anawsterau iechyd meddwl a’u gwaith gyda State of Mind; Dr Jay Watts, a heriodd y rhai oedd yno i gofleidio’r syniad o ofal sydd wedi’i lywio gan drawma; yr Athro Paul French, un o ddau ddarlithydd cyntaf MHNAUK fu’n siarad am ei raglen ymchwil ym maes seicosis; Dr Michael Coffey, ail ddarlithydd cyntaf MHNAUK, fu’n sôn am yr anawsterau sy’n gysylltiedig ag asesu risg; a’r Athro Gary O’Reilly a gyflwynodd ei ymchwil am ddefnyddio gemau cyfrifiadurol fel ffordd o gynnig therapïau seicolegol i bobl ifanc ag anawsterau iechyd meddwl.

Roedd #MHNR2017 yn gyfle hefyd i academyddion Caerdydd arddangos eu gwaith ymchwil a’u gweithgareddau ymgysylltu. Fe gyflwynwyd yr astudiaeth barhaus am 3MDR sy’n edrych ar anhwylderau straen wedi trawma sy’n ymwrthod â thriniaethau, a arweinir gan yr Athro Jon Bisson. Fe gyflwynodd Ben Hannigan ddadansoddiad newydd o Brosiect Cynllunio Gofal Cydweithredol (COCAPP) am yr ymarfer a’r prosesau sy’n gysylltiedig â chydlynu gofal, ac fe gyflwynodd bapur oedd yn uno theori, dylunio a dulliau ymchwil er mwyn astudio systemau iechyd meddwl cymhleth. Fe siaradodd Dr Nicola Evans am ei gwaith gyda chydweithwyr yng Nghanada ac Awstralia yn meincnodi cymwyseddau ar gyfer nyrsys iechyd meddwl sy’n gweithio i wasanaethau iechyd meddwl plant a’r glasoed, a bu Alicia Stringfellow a Gemma Stacey-Emile yn trafod eu gwaith hyrwyddo iechyd meddwl a lles yn Grangetown drwy brosiect y Porth Cymunedol. Fe gyflwynodd John Hyde ei ymchwil am y ffiniau rhwng timau iechyd meddwl cymunedol a’r gwasanaethau datrys argyfyngau a thriniaethau cartref.

Bydd y paratoadau ar gyfer #MHNR2018 yn dechrau cyn bo hir, a bydd y newyddion diweddaraf ar gael ar gyfrif twitter y gynhadledd.