Summary

The aim of the SMILE study is to get a better understanding of  the causes of  severe mental illness (SMI) and the best way to develop new treatments.

What is the study about?

The SMILE study is trying to find out what causes serious mental illness like psychosis, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. It wants to find the best way to help people.

The study involves collecting details from people with who have a serious mental illness.

The information we collect will help us look at the risk of SMI. It will also help us learn more about symptoms and the side effects of medication.

What is the study trying to find out? 

The SMILE study is trying to find out what causes severe mental illnesses. It also wants to find the best way to treat people. 

What does taking part involve? 

To take part in the SMILE study you will need to:

1. Read the study information sheet.
2. Sign a consent form. This is to say you are happy to take part.
3. Give details such as your name, data of birth, NHS number, and contact details.
4. Give a blood or saliva sample.
5. Fill out some questionnaires and do a quick memory task.
6. This should all take about 1 hour. You do not have to do it all in one day.
7. When you are done you will get a £25 shopping voucher as a thank you for your time.

Who is it for?  

If you are aged over 16 and have a diagnosis of a severe mental illness, then we would like to hear from you.

We hope to find around 2000 people across England to take part.

Why is it important?  

People with SMI may experience short-term and long-term issues and their current medication. Some people get side effects of that are difficult to deal with. Right now, we do not know enough about what causes SMI. We also do not know the best way to create new treatments. The SMILE study will collect information from people who have an SMI. This is so we can look into the risk of SMI and the symptoms linked to it.

How can I find out more?

You can find out more information about taking part in this study by downloading the key documents at the top of this page.  You can also find out more information on the project website here: https://www.bioresource.nihr.ac.uk/centres-programmes/severe-mental-illness-longitudinal-evaluation-smile-bioresource/

If you are interested in taking part in this study, or have questions for the research team, please email us using the link below:

Email the research team

nem-tr.randd@nhs.net