Exploring alternatives to inpatient admission: Join the Soteria research project webinar!
Greater Manchester researchers and the Soteria Network UK invite you to their research project webinar to find out more about the “Soteria Approach” – a radical alternative to inpatient hospitalisation. The webinar will take place on Zoom on Tuesday 10 June 2025 between 7pm and 8pm. You can register for the event at www.tinyurl.com/soteria-webinar .
Researchers from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) have partnered with service users, carers, families and community groups to explore an alternative approach to inpatient psychiatric admission, known as the ‘Soteria’ approach – for people experiencing extreme psychological states, often referred to as psychosis or mania.
Marking the start of the project, the research team would like to invite you to a webinar and Q&A session on Tuesday 10 June 2025 at 7pm – 8pm . The panellists will include:
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John Read , Professor of C linical Psychology, University of East London and Chair of the International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal.
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Kate Allsopp , Co-Chief Investigator, Research Fellow at GMMH
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Rita Long, Co-Chief Investigator, Community Researcher and Chair of the Soteria Network UK
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Nic Warriner , Research Assistant , Complex Trauma & Resilience Research Unit (C-TRU), GMMH
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Jen Kilyon , President Soteria Network UK, Trustee of the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis ( ISPS ) UK and ISPS International . She is also a campaigner for family friendly mental services.
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Eamonn Flynn , Trustee of Soteria Network UK, ISPS UK, and runs networks of support and creativity for Soteria London CIC.
Almost 100,000 people are admitted to mental health inpatient services each year, and it is estimated that around 60% of psychiatric admissions are linked to psychosis and extreme states. When there are concerns about people’s safety or these experiences are very distressing, hospital admission may be considered. However, sometimes hospital admissions can be distressing, both for people being admitted as well as for their families and loved ones.
The Soteria approach supports people in distress, in ‘home’-like houses in the community, with an emphasis on acceptance, dignity, and choice, supported by people with lived experiences, where genuine community relationships become the healing and caring. There are many ‘Soteria Houses’ in health systems in several countries around the world, but there has never been one formally setup in the UK.
The project sees people with lived experience, community groups, clinicians and academics working together to explore how Soteria Houses could be set up in the UK, firstly by collecting perspectives and experiences from a wide range of experts. The project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and sponsored by GMMH.
You can register for the webinar on Eventbrite at www.tinyurl.com/soteria-webinar and a link to join the event will be emailed to you in the week before. You can find out more about the project via GMMH’s Active Studies Finder , on the Soteria Network UK website , or contact SoteriaResearchStudy@gmmh.nhs.uk .
