Trials of the Mind feat. Sasha’s Trial, 2015
(Themes: dementia, anxiety, intergenerational mental health)
Contents
How Do You Make Clinical Research Engaging?
Sasha’s Trial
Patient and Public Engagement and Involvement
Press
Responses to Trials of the Mind
From Stage to Screen
Sasha’s Trial – Film (32 min)
Responses to Sasha’s Trial – Film
How Do You Make Clinical Research Engaging?
In 2015, we partnered with Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester (CRNGM), part of the National Institute for Health Research’s, to support their research project:
We began by working with CRNGM to really understand their project’s objective, which we defined as engaging the public around 18 key points, including:
- Why do we carry out clinical research?
- Dispelling the myths about clinical trials.
- Acknowledging there can be risks associated with clinical trials.
- Being proud of the benefits associated with clinical trials.
- Making it clear that saying yes to hearing more about research trials doesn’t obligate you to take part, or take away any control you have over your involvement in research trials.
- Making it known that you have the right to ask to be part of a clinical trial.
In order to achieve this objective we created the applied narrative Sasha’s Trial – a story designed to be strategically integrated into CRNGM patient and public engagement and involvement events.
Sasha’s Trial
It was crucial we delivered the 18 key points in a way that the public could relate to. To do this we created a narrative that revolved around two characters we amalgamated from real-life accounts: 16-year old Sasha, and her Grandad.
Patient and Public Engagement and Involvement
CRNGM held their 2015 patient and public engagement and involvement day at the Manchester Museum. Here we delivered Sasha’s Trial in the form of an integrated stage performance. For this we designed the wraparound workshop Trials of the Mind which partitioned the performance into four scenes – Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. This not only allowed CRNGM to hold facilitated discussions between each scene, but also gave the public some space and time to process both the emotional and practical information they were being presented with.
SUMMER
AUTUMN
WINTER
SPRING
Press
‘Trials of the Mind: An Interactive Look at Dementia and Mental Health Research’ (Simon Bland, Journalist)
Each scene represented a different stage of dementia and/or mental health difficulty, and the immediate and long-term effects clinical trials can have on their progression. Sandwiched in between each scene were discussion sessions moderated by healthcare professionals, where viewers could dissect what they had seen and ask questions in a supportive and informed environment.
Responses to Trials of the Mind
On the power of Applied Narrative.
On the power of Applied Narrative.
Highlighting the need for further dissemination.
On the value of collaboration in overcoming negative perceptions.
On taking the message into schools.
On legacy.
On the aims of CRNGM.
From Stage to Screen
In order to support CRNGM’s intention to hold further events in care homes and secondary schools across Greater Manchester, we also delivered the the Sasha’s Trial narrative in the form of a film. Whilst this required some changes to the scripting, it made excellent use of the performers whilst we had them, and provided CRNGM with a lasting resource.
Sasha’s Trial – Film (32 min)
Responses to Sasha’s Trial – Film
I loved the positive end. The problem is that much of what people read about dementia or see about dementia is bleak, and we need to show those positive sides as well; that even at the later part of the story it’s not the end. There can still be new adventures, there can still be explorations. The way you leave the film feeling tremendously moved, it’s very sad, but there’s a little bit of optimism in there.
Alan Miles, Dementia activist and writer, Ctrl+Alz+Shift
The other powerful message it gives is that clinical trials aren’t just about drugs and guinea pigs, things like that, because both of their trials had nothing to do with medication. One was family therapy, so obviously a complex intervention, the other was around the iPad. So I think that was another powerful, but subtly done message.
Prof Iracema Leroi, Professor of Psychiatry/Horary Consultant, Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing