Associate Professor Michelle Banfield
Areas of expertise
- Mental Health 111714
- Primary Health Care 111717
- Health And Community Services 111708
- Health Policy 160508
Research interests
- Effective primary care for mental illness
- Treatment and management of bipolar disorder
- Consumer, carer and community involvement in health and research
- Successful translation of health research into policy and practice
- Collaborative research
- Mental health policy
- Suicide prevention
Biography
Michelle’s early research experience was in biological anthropology, focusing on the behaviour and social systems of primates. When she returned to research in 2004 following a period of ill health, she worked in the areas of consumer-focused research and the use of technology for the self-management of mental health problems. Her PhD explored mental health consumers’ priorities for research on depression and bipolar disorder in Australia.
Michelle's research interests include effective services and policy for mental illness. She heads the Lived Experience Research Unit at the Centre for Mental Health Research, incorporating ACACIA: The ACT Consumer & Carer Mental Health Research Unit. The Lived Experience Research Unit aims to increase the involvement of mental health consumers and carers in the research process and conduct research relevant to their needs. From 2015-17, Michelle completed an ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) fellowship looking at service access and navigation for people with serious mental illness. She also completed an MRFF Translating Research into Practice Fellowship to explore the implementation of mental health peer work (2018-21). Most recently she has been appointed as Co-Director and Lived Experience Lead for the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation. She is also leading an innovative co-created project to evaluation safe spaces for suicide prevention.
As part of her commitment to active consumer involvement, Michelle has strong connections with consumer organisations and representation. She has held a number of local and national representative roles with consumer organisations. Through these roles, Michelle fosters strong ties between the consumer and research communities.
Researcher's projects
Co-creating safe spaces
Across Australia, there is increasing investment in ‘safe spaces’ for people experiencing emotional distress and suicidal crisis. These safe spaces are an alternative to emergency departments (ED), which can increase distress and are often not what is needed for support. Australian State and Territory Governments have invested in trials of safe spaces, which are being co-designed with people with lived experience of suicidal crisis/attempt, their carers and support people, and health professionals to meet the needs of the local communities. To provide critical and timely feedback on the implementation process, it is essential to conduct research in partnership with those implementing the safe spaces.
This research will establish the feasibility and effectiveness of the safe space models in the ACT, NSW and SA as genuine alternatives for people who might usually present to the ED, or choose not to access help through an ED due to past negative experiences. The proposal emphasises the experiences of guests and peer support workers as key to the effectiveness and feasibility of safe spaces. The RE-AIM framework will aid our understanding of who is being reached (Reach), experience of care, increase in connectedness, needs met and reduction in distress, (Effectiveness), fit within the local system (Adoption), implementation processes focusing on co-design (Implementation) and the sustainability of the models including costs (Maintenance).
Better Together: Implementation of a peer worker-led mental health recovery program (MRFF TRIP Fellowship)
The integration of peer workers into the current Australian mental health system has significant capacity to address severe workforce shortages, improve recovery outcomes, and meet the growing demand for people with lived experience to support consumer recovery. This project will involved detailed analyses of the mechanisms underpinning the establishment and sustainability of peer work roles. The use of an implementation science theoretical model, coupled with participatory research methods is an innovative and rigorous approach that will develop strong, evidence-based recommendations for mental health system development in Australia.
ACACIA: The ACT Consumer & Carer Mental Health Research Unit
ACACIA is staffed by academic consumer and carer researchers who work in partnership with mental health consumers and carers in the ACT to improve their lives and the system. The initiative is intended to combine the expertise of qualified researchers with those who are experts by virtue of their lived experience. This will ensure that the research is both of high scientific quality and of optimal and meaningful benefit to consumers and carers.
Current projects include:
- LGBTIQ+ healthcare experiences: The aim of this project is to explore the primary healthcare experiences of people from LGBTIQ+ backgrounds. Consisting of in-depth interviews, the study is investigating the key challenges people from these groups face when accessing healthcare, and the effects these have on their health, including mental health.
- Understanding Participation project: This study aims to understand the current nature of consumer and carer participation in the ACT, determine what indicators are used to measure consumer and carer impact, and explore the concept and meaning of value from the perspective of multiple stakeholder groups in the health sector. Each stage of the study will be developed and conducted in partnership with representatives from local health consumer and carer peaks and community organisations. Data will be collected through document studies, expert interviews, and paired interviews and focus groups.
- Consumer and Carer Mental Health Research priority-setting : In 2013, ACACIA held a one-day forum in which consumers and carers developed and prioritised ideas for ACACIA's research agenda and suggested methods for effective active involvement in the research process. In late 2017, we conducted a survey to update the priorities with broader Australian consumer and carer input. We updated priorities again in 2021 via two virtual World Cafes, and in 2022 are contributing our work to the ALIVE priority-setting process.
Finding the path: Service access and navigation for serious mental illness in a complex Australian policy landscape (ARC DECRA Fellowship)
Finding the Path will inform health system change to ensure people with serious mental illness can access quality services. Improved access to quality mental health services has been a key target in Australian health policy for over 20 years. However, people with mental illness continue to report problems accessing and navigating the complex service system. Finding the Path studied consumers' mental health service experiences using policy, qualitative, quantitative and geographic analysis to identify systemic problems. Mental health consumers and service providers were actively involved in developing final recommendations for policy to ensure system change reflects their knowledge.
Silence is Deadly
This project sought to evaluate the Silence is Deadly Program, which has been delivered in ACT schools since 2014. This intervention is delivered by not-for-profit organisation Menslink in partnership with the state representative rugby league team (the Canberra Raiders) and uses role-modelling and social norming, as well as male-tailored vocabulary, to influence young men's help-seeking attitudes and intentions. The research project was conducted in 2017-2018, and comprised a cluster randomised controlled trial that involved 8 ACT schools. The primary aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of this tailored approach to suicide prevention and identify if it is differentially effective for participants with different levels of mental health symptoms, suicidal thoughts, stigmatizing attitudes towards seeking help and adherence to gender role norms. This analysis was complemented by a qualitative investigation into the intervention's effect on the culture of helping seeking in the school through semi-structured interviews with staff members.
Monitoring the Way Back Support Study
Way Back is a suicide prevention initiative that aims to complement existing services to help support people after a recent suicide attempt. Way Back connects with people presenting to a hospital emergency department (ED) or other parts of the hospital following a suicide attempt. This project developed a questionnaire that can be used to 1) measure client recovery and 2) help assess how well the service works in assisting individuals in recovering from a suicide attempt. The topic areas and question wording were developed in close consultation with mental health consumers and those who have experienced suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt.
Available student projects
Areas I would be interested in supervising:
- Mental health services research
- Low prevalence mental disorders in primary care
- Consumer/patient empowerment in chronic illness
I would also be happy to be an adviser on consumer involvement in health research.
Current student projects
PhD students - current
Erin Parker: Anxiety disorder management in Australian primary care
Julia Reynolds: The changing roles of psychologists and other mental health workers in the reforming mental health systems of Australia, with particular reference to the use of digital technologies to augment face to face therapies.
Petra Hill: Crossing the divide: disability and mental health legislation - opportunity gaps and lessons for self-directed living in Australia
Cherie McGregor: Same Same Different: Social change values in mental health Peer Support
Debra Hamilton: Experiences of choice and control for people with a psychosocial disability engaging with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (USyd)
Shauna Winram: Consciousness and the phenomenology of psychosis
Dianna Smith: Learning, Connection, Opportunity, Hope : Can Recovery Colleges raise people's expectations of their possibilities
Alice Tudehope: Pink diamonds in the workplace: successful Australian public servants with bipolar
Past student projects
PhD students - complete
Jane Desborough: What characteristics of general practice and practice nurse consultations are associated with patient satisfaction and enablement?
Bradley Carron-Arthur: Engagement in mental health internet peer support
Rebecca Randall: "I want to do something positive with my experiences": The youth involvement in mental health research project
Publications
- Calear, A, McCallum, S, Morse, A et al. 2022, 'Psychosocial impacts of home-schooling on parents and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic', BMC Public Health, vol. 22, no. 119, pp. 1-8.
- Morse, A, Banfield, M, Batterham, P et al. 2022, 'What could we do differently next time? Australian parents' experiences of the short-term and long-term impacts of home schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic', BMC Public Health, vol. 22, no. 80, pp. 1-9.
- Parker, E, Banfield, M, Fassnacht, D et al. 2021, 'Contemporary treatment of anxiety in primary care: a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes in countries with universal healthcare', BMC Family Practice Journal, vol. 22, no. 1.
- Dawel, A, Shou, Y, Smithson, M et al. 2021, 'Corrigendum: The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults', Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 11.
- Batterham, P, Calear, A, McCallum, S et al. 2021, 'Trajectories of depression and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in a representative Australian adult cohort', Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 214, no. 10, pp. 462-468.
- Calear, A, Morse, A, Batterham, P et al. 2021, 'Silence is Deadly: A controlled trial of a public health intervention to promote help-seeking in adolescent males', Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 274-288.
- Gulliver, A, Banfield, M, Batterham, P et al. 2021, 'Effects of previous exposure to psychotherapeutic strategies on depression and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic', BJPsych Open, vol. 7, no. 1, e38.
- Gulliver, A, Pike-Rowney, G, Banfield, M et al. 2021, 'The Music Engagement Program for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia: Pilot feasibility trial outcomes', Evaluation and Program Planning, vol. 87, no. 101930.
- Batterham, P, Poyser, C, Gulliver, A et al. 2020, 'Development and psychometric properties of the Functioning and Recovery Scale: a new measure to assess psychosocial functioning after a suicide attempt', Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 1105-1114.
- Sutarsa, I, Banfield, M, Passioura, J et al. 2020, 'Spatial inequities of mental health nurses in rural and remote Australia', International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, vol. Online.
- Hamilton, D, Hancock, N, Scanlan, J et al. 2020, 'The National Disability Insurance Scheme and people with severe and persistent mental illness/psychosocial disability: A review, analysis and synthesis of published literature', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, vol. Online , pp. 1-11.
- Dawel, A, Shou, Y, Smithson, M et al. 2020, 'The Effect of COVID-19 on Mental Health and Wellbeing in a Representative Sample of Australian Adults', Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 11, 579985
- Gulliver, A, Calear, A, Sunderland, M et al. 2020, 'Consumer-Guided Development of an Engagement-Facilitation Intervention for Increasing Uptake and Adherence for Self-Guided Web-Based Mental Health Programs: Focus Groups and Online Evaluation Survey', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 4, e22528
- Morse, A, Forbes, O, Jones, B et al. 2019, 'Australian Mental Health Consumer and Carer Perspectives on Ethics in Adult Mental Health Research', Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 234-242.
- Banfield, M, Farrer, L & Harrison, C 2019, 'Management or missed opportunity? Mental health care planning in Australian general practice', Australian Journal of Primary Health, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 332-338.
- Gulliver, A, Banfield, M, Morse, A et al. 2019, 'A Peer-Led Electronic Mental Health Recovery App in a Community-Based Public Mental Health Service: Pilot Trial', JMIR Formative Research, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 1-9.
- Gulliver, A, Pike-Rowney, G, Banfield, M et al. 2019, 'Evaluation of the Music Engagement Program for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia: Study protocol for a pilot trial', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 15, no. 100419, pp. 1-7.
- Morse, A, Forbes, O, Jones, B et al. 2019, 'Whose story is it? Mental health consumer and carer views on carer participation in research', Health Expectations, vol. 24, no. S1, pp. 3-9.
- Batterham, P, Kensey, D, Banfield, M et al. 2019, 'Differences in mental health service use between urban and rural areas of Australia', Australian Psychologist, vol. 55, no. 4.
- Beck, A, Baker, A, Jones, S et al 2018, 'Exploring the feasibility and acceptability of a recovery-focused group therapy intervention for adults with bipolar disorder: trial protocol', BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. e019203.
- Banfield, M & Forbes, O 2018, 'Health and social care coordination for severe and persistent mental illness in Australia: a mixed methods evaluation of experiences with the Partners in Recovery Program', International Journal of Mental Health Systems, vol. 12, no. 13, pp. 13pp.
- Gulliver, A, Morse, A, Wilson, N et al. 2018, 'An evaluation of a tailored care program for complex and persistent mental health problems: Partners in Recovery program', Evaluation and Program Planning, vol. 68, pp. 99-107pp.
- Banfield, M, Randall, R, O'Brien, M et al. 2018, 'Lived experience researchers partnering with consumers and carers to improve mental health research: Reflections from an Australian initiative', International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 1219-1229pp.
- Farrer, L, Walker, J, Harrison, C et al. 2018, 'Primary care access for mental illness in Australia: Patterns of access to general practice from 2006 to 2016', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 1-12pp.
- Happell, B, Curtis, J, Banfield, M et al 2018, 'Improving the cardiometabolic health of people with psychosis: A protocol for a randomised controlled trial of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant service', Contemporary Clinical Trials, vol. 73, pp. 75-80.
- Banfield, M, Morse, A, Gulliver, A et al. 2018, 'Mental health research priorities in Australia: a consumer and carer agenda', Health Research Policy and Systems, vol. 16, no. 119, pp. 11pp.
- Scholz, B, Bocking, J, Banfield, M et al 2018, '"Coming from a different place": Partnerships between consumers and health services for system change', Journal of Clinical Nursing, vol. 27, no. 19-20, pp. 3622-3629.
- Desborough, J, Phillips, C, Mills, J et al. 2017, 'Developing a positive patient experience with nurses in general practice: an integrated model of patient satisfaction and enablement', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 564-578.
- Banfield, M, Jowsey, T, Parkinson, A et al 2017, 'Experiencing integration: a qualitative pilot study of consumer and provider experiences of integrated primary health care in Australia', BMC Family Practice Journal, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 1-12.
- Desborough, J, Banfield, M, Phillips, C et al 2017, 'The process of patient enablement in general practice nurse consultations: a grounded theory study', Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 73, no. 5, pp. 1085-1096pp.
- Calear, A, Banfield, M, Batterham, P et al. 2017, 'Silence is deadly: a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a mental health help-seeking intervention for young men', BMC Public Health, vol. 17, no. 834, pp. 1-8.
- Gulliver, A, Banfield, M, Reynolds, J et al. 2017, 'A Peer-Led Electronic Mental Health Recovery App in an Adult Mental Health Service: Study Protocol for a Pilot Trial', JMIR Research Protocols, vol. 6, no. 12, pp. e248.
- Parkinson, A, Banfield, M & Dawda, P 2016, 'Experiencing integration in Australian primary health care: a pilot study', International Journal of Integrated Care, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 3pp.
- Gee, A, McGarty, C & Banfield, M 2016, 'Barriers to genuine consumer and carer participation from the perspectives of Australian systemic mental health advocates', Journal of Mental Health, vol. 25, no. 3, pp. 231-237.
- McRae, I, Dawda, P, Banfield, M et al 2016, 'Can we measure integration of healthcare from administrative and clinical records?', Australian Family Physician, vol. 45, no. 9, pp. 672-675.
- Desborough, J., Bagheri, N., Banfield, M., Phillips, C., Mills, J., Korda, R., 2016, 'The impact of general practice nursing care on patient satisfaction and enablement in Australia: a mixed methods study.', International Journal of Nursing Studies, vol. 64, pp. 108-119.
- Gardner, K, Parkinson, A, Banfield, M et al 2015, 'Usability of patient experience surveys in Australian primary health care: a scoping review', Australian Journal of Primary Health, 22 (2), 93 - 99.
- Gee, A, McGarty, C & Banfield, M 2015, 'What Drives Systemic Mental Health Advocates? Goals, Strategies, and Values of Australian Consumer and Carer Advocacy Organizations', Sage Open, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 1-8.
- Banfield, M, McGorm, K & Sargent, G 2015, 'Health promotion in schools: a multi-method evaluation of an Australian School Youth Health Nurse Program', BMC Nursing, vol. 14, no. 21, pp. 1-11pp.
- Desborough, J, Phillips, C, Banfield, M et al 2015, 'Impact of nursing care in Australian general practice on the quality of care: A pilot of the Patient Enablement and Satisfaction Survey (PESS)', Collegian, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 207-214.
- Dawda P, McRae I, Yen L, Islam MM et al. 2015. Does it matter who organises your health care?. International Journal of Integrated Care, vol 15, pp 11.
- Gardner, K, Parkinson, A, Banfield, M et al. 2014, Environmental scan of patient experience surveys used in primary health care.
- Banfield, M, Barney, L, Griffiths, K et al. 2014, 'Australian mental health consumers' priorities for research: Qualitative findings from the SCOPE for Research project', Health Expectations, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 365-375.
- Gardner, K, Banfield, M, McRae, I et al 2014, 'Improving coordination through information continuity: a framework for translational research', BMC Health Services Research, vol. 14, no. 590, pp. 1-5.
- Desborough, J, Banfield, M & Parker, R 2013, 'A tool to evaluate patients' experience of nursing care in Australian general practice: Development of the Patient Enablement and Satisfaction Survey (PESS)', Australian Journal of Primary Health, 20 (2), 209-15.
- Gardner, K, Yen, L, Banfield, M et al 2013, 'From coordinated care trials to medicare locals: What difference does changing the policy driver from efficiency to quality make for coordinating care?', International Journal for Quality in Health Care, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 50-57.
- Jowsey, T, McRae, I, Valderas, J et al 2013, 'Time's Up. Descriptive Epidemiology of Multi-Morbidity and Time Spent on Health Related Activity by Older Australians: A Time Use Survey', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 1 - 6.
- Yen, L, McRae, I, Jowsey, T et al 2013, 'HEALTH WORK BY OLDER PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE', Chronic Illness, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 268-282.
- Banfield, M, Gardner, K, McRae, I et al 2013, 'Unlocking information for coordination of care in Australia: a qualitative study of information continuity in four primary health care models', BMC Family Practice Journal, vol. 14, no. 34, pp. 1-21.
- Jowsey, T, McRae, I, Gillespie, J et al 2013, 'Time to care? Health of informal older carers and time spent on health related activities: An Australian survey', BMC Public Health, vol. 13, no. 1.
- Banfield, M, Gardner, K, Yen, L et al 2012, 'Coordination of care in Australian mental health policy', Australian Health Review, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 153-157.
- Banfield, M, Griffiths, K, Christensen, H et al 2011, 'SCOPE for Research:Mental Health consumers' priorities for research compared with recent research in Australia', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
- Barney, L, Griffiths, K & Banfield, M 2011, 'Explicit and implicit information needs of people with depression: A qualitative investigation of problems reported on an online depression support forum', BMC Psychiatry, vol. 11, no. May, pp. A88
- Griffiths, K, Banfield, M & Leach, L 2010, 'Mental Health research in The Lancet: A case study', Journal of Mental Health, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 17-25.
- Griffiths, K, Calear, A, Banfield, M et al. 2009, 'Systematic review on internet support groups (ISGs) and depression (2): What is known about depression ISGs?', Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. e41.
- Griffiths, K, Calear, A & Banfield, M 2009, 'Systematic Review on Internet Support Groups (ISGs) and Depression (1): Do ISGs Reduce Depressive Symptoms?', Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. e40.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- ALIVE - A National Research Translation Centre to implement Mental Health Care at Scale (Secondary Investigator)
- Outcomes Monitoring Framework for Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling (Secondary Investigator)
- Independent evaluation of supported online mental health services (Primary Investigator)
- Evaluation of the Head to Health Gateway (Secondary Investigator)
- Evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative (Secondary Investigator)
- NSW Consumer-Led Research Network and Brain and Mind Centre Independent Review (Primary Investigator)
- My Mind, My Voice evaluation proposal (Secondary Investigator)
- Mental Illness Education ACT External evaluation proposal (Primary Investigator)
- Evaluation of the Peer Supported Transfer of Care Program (Secondary Investigator)
- Youth Navigation Portal Scoping and Analysis (Secondary Investigator)
- ACACIA: The ACT Consumer and Carer Mental Health Research Unit: Scope of Work 2019-2022; 2022 - 2024 (Primary Investigator)
- Implementation of a peer worker-led mental health recovery program (Primary Investigator)
- Monitoring The Way Back Support Service ACT (Secondary Investigator)
- Silence is Deadly: a cluster-randomised controlled trial of a mental health help-seeking intervention for young men (Secondary Investigator)
- Framework for the engagement of people with a lived experience in the LifeSpan project (Primary Investigator)
- ACACIA: The ACT Mental Health Consumer and Carer Research Unit 2016-2019 (Primary Investigator)
- Development of a Connect Up for Kids (CU4K) Program Evaluation Framework (Secondary Investigator)
- ACT partners in recovery program (Primary Investigator)
- Finding the Path: Service access and navigation for serious mental illness (Primary Investigator)
- Experiencing integration: A pilot study of consumer and provider experiences of integrated primary health care (Primary Investigator)
- Development of an ACT PIR Evaluation Framework (Secondary Investigator)
- Environment Scan for Patient Experience Surveys (Secondary Investigator)
- Evaluation of the School Nurse Program in the ACT (Secondary Investigator)
- Establishment of a consumer and carer mental health research unit (ACACIA) (Secondary Investigator)
- Nursing in Primary Health Care Project (Secondary Investigator)
- Consumer priorities for depression and bipolar disorder research (Primary Investigator)