School of Medicine

The Offender Health Research Network Cymru promotes research into the mental and physical health of Welsh offenders to effect practical improvements for them, the staff who work with them, and the public.

OHRN-C is a network linking researchers in the universities of Cardiff, University of Glamorgan, Swansea,  Bangor University, Bristol and the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC) with practitioners in healthcare organisations, independent hospitals, in prisons, the probation service and the police, as well as third sector organizations (The Salvation Army, Hafal), staff in governmental offices, including the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and former service users. 

OHRN-C operates within the Offender Health Research Network for England & Wales.

Activities 

Network members meet quarterly, contribute to the development of teaching modules and workshops, CPD, participate at national and international conferences, and advise and support government and independent sector reviews of service and best practice.

Training and studentships

Network members from each participating university currently support and supervise a number of PhD, MD and MSc students.  We are developing intercollegiate co-operations on this.   

We also accept undergraduate students who want to experience work in the field before full commitment.  In 2009, a forensic psychiatry module was introduced into the Cardiff University (School of Medicine) Psychiatry (MSc/Diploma) and UWIC launched an MSc in Forensic Psychology .

Collaborations

We collaborate with the following organizations: 

• Offender Health Research Network for England & Wales(OHRN); a joint proposal for extending the work of the networks was recently successful, Diversion Plus: The Interface of Mental Health Services and the Criminal Justice System
• South West Offender Health Network (SWOHRN)
• The forensic mental health research unit, Bristol University
• The Forensic Psychology Research Group at University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC)
• Secure Environments Network (SEN) of the Royal College of General Practitioners in Wales
• Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health
• Through the research group on Pathways from psychosis to serious violence - to the Mental Health Research Network for Wales MHRN-C
• Within Cardiff University we have an active association with the Violence and Society Research Group
• Youth Alcohol Research Network (YARN)