Clinical profile and efficacy of the Fens Service
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the clinical profile of participants and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions provided within the Fens Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Service
IRAS ID
251278
Contact name
Sarah Hicks
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study is part of an ongoing programme of evaluation of the Fens Service treatment programme. The Fens Service is a specialist, trauma-focused personality disorder treatment service located in a high secure environment at HMP Whitemoor. The Fens Service arose from the Dangerous by virtue of Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) initiative and was one of four pilot services in England jointly funded by the Department of Health (DoH) and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to offer formulation driven treatment to high risk individuals with a diagnosis of personality disorder who were often denied treatment by virtue of their ‘psychopathy’ or challenging behaviours. Following review and consultation (Burns et al, 2011; DoH and Ministry of Justice, 2011; Völlm & Konappa, 2012), the two high secure prison based services were subsequently incorporated in the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway which replaced and expanded the former DSPD Programme beyond high secure settings whilst maintaining a case formulation approach (Logan & Ramsden, 2015; McMullan, Ramsden & Lowton, 2014; Ministry of Justice, 2011; Murphy & McVey, 2010; Shaw et al, 2012). Treatment within the Fens Service is directed at men who have been difficult to manage in prison (not infrequently violently offending whilst in prison), those who have been considered difficult to engage or unresponsive to treatment or those who have been excluded from treatment by virtue of their therapy-interfering behaviours.
The purpose of this application is to seek ethical approval to support us to appropriately collect, analyse, and diseminate information related the the clinical profile of participants and the efficacy/effectiveness of interventions provided within the Fens Service.
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0186
Date of REC Opinion
29 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion