What is the Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity Priority Setting Partnership (PSP)?
We formed a Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) because we wanted to know how best to support individuals with or at risk of offending histories who have mental health or neurodiversity (e.g. learning disability, autism, ADHD) needs.
We surveyed service users, service providers, carers, and informal support networks about their experiences of working with OR being someone with/at risk of an offending history. Through our surveys participants suggested questions covering a range of areas such as housing, homelessness, benefits, post-release support, stigma, social isolation, educational needs, employment, family relations, and addiction issues.
We gathered this information through a process developed by the James Lind Alliance – specifically we ran:
1) An ‘Evidence Uncertainty’ survey – over 300 people shared ideas on what areas Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity researchers should be focusing on (April – May 2025).
2) A ‘Shortlisting’ survey – over 400 people picked up to ten questions that they thought were most important from the 30+ questions generated through the ‘Evidence Uncertainty’ survey (September – October 2025).
3) Final Priority Setting workshops in relation to young people, adults, and those with learning/intellectual disability. During these, service users, service providers, carers, and informal support networks focused on the questions that were ranked as most important in the ‘Shortlisting’ survey, and worked together to agree ‘Top 10′ lists of priorities (December 2025 – January 2026).
In March 2026 we hosted a results launch event during which we revealed the ‘Top 10’ research questions chosen at the Final Workshops for young people, adults and individuals with learning/intellectual disability. We will continue to let everyone know about these Top 10 lists (e.g. policy makers, university staff) via information sessions at events and meetings and by sharing the results reports – this will help encourage teams to research how best to address the ‘Top 10’ questions.
What were the results?
These are the ‘Top 10’ Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity research questions chosen in relation to adults, young people, and individuals with learning/intellectual disability.
This Plain English Report outlines the approach taken to choose the Top 10 Research priorities, alongside the reasons why people taking part felt the Top 10 were so important.
What organisations are involved?
The Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity PSP is a collaboration of partner organisations from health service, university and community groups including Association for Real Change Northern Ireland (ARCNI), Department of Health, Department of Justice, Extern, Forensic Community Mental Health and Learning Disability teams, Forensic Managed Care Network, Healthcare in Prison, NIACRO, Impact Research Centre (where the Forensic Managed Care Network research team are based), Northern Ireland Prison Service, Praxis, Probation Board for Northern Ireland, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), Queen’s University Belfast, Shannon Clinic, Ulster University and Youth Justice Agency.
Who funded the research?
This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) [Programme Development Grants (NIHR207058)]. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Contact us
Julie-Ann Jordan – Julie-ann.jordan@northerntrust.hscni.net
Jessica Hassan – Jessica.hassan@northerntrust.hscni.net
Quick Links
Who was responsible for running the project?
A number of groups were responsible for running the project.
The Steering Group made all the key decisions on the project and included service users, service providers, carers, and individuals from support networks. All steering group members had equal say in decisions. Some of the group’s main duties included.
The Co-researcher group included young people aged 18-24 years with lived experience of relevance to the Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). This group played a major role in identifying the Top 10 list of priorities for young people. This group completed two training sessions so that they had the skills and confidence to help with drafting the young person survey/s, advise on recruitment, engagement, and dissemination plans.
The Research team are the individuals who secured money from National Institute of Health Care Research (NIHR) to run the Forensic Mental Health and Neurodiversity Priority Setting Partnership (PSP). The team included academics with experience of running projects like this one, a service user with lived experience, and service providers with a long history of working with service users with lived experience.
If you would like to learn more about the individuals on these groups/teams please visit the Meet the team members section.
Meet the team members
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Julie-Ann Jordan, PSP lead
Julie-Ann has a PhD in Psychology and is a Senior Researcher in the Forensic Managed Care Network (FMCN), a regional network in Northern Ireland that comprises members from statutory and non-statutory forensic services with a mental health/neurodiversity focus. Her job is based within the IMPACT Research Centre (Northern Health and Social Care Trust), positioning her ideally for collaborating with health care professionals and service users.
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Caroline Magee ( JLA Chair)
My career has focused on health and care research and communications sectors. I have strong senior leadership experience with skills in stakeholder engagement, business planning and delivery and workforce development.My key strengths include creativity, empathy and my ability to rapidly build successful working relationships and effective teams that facilitate delivery of business-critical results. -
Theresa Ormandy, PSP lead
Theresa Ormandy is qualified Social Worker and the Project Manager for Extern’s Criminal Justice Floating Support, Belfast City Complex Lives and Mid Ulster SAIL Floating Support service. Theresa has been working in the homelessness sector since 2013 and is currently involved in the Homelessness Prevention Forum, promoting floating support services and prevention interventions.
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Jessica Hassan, Information specialist and project co-ordinator
Jessica has her PhD from Ulster University where she completed research within a secure forensic mental health setting. She is an associate researcher at the IMPACT research center, which is part of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. We work with statutory and non-statutory forensic services with a mental health/neurodiversity focus. I have an interest in forensic mental health and strive to improve the overall health of individuals. -
Marouane - Co-applicant
My interests are to give feedback on the positive support provided by the extern organisation.
I also have interest in regards the topics on my personal experience; family, relationships and child care, impact of mental heath difficulties and trauma.
I want to help on this project to try and show that there are good experiences as well as bad and it is dependent on you, offences and the network of people around you.
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Wesley - Extern resident
I’ve recently been released from prison and living in Extern probation residential housing in Belfast. This is due to me need to be supervised on license after release. this is to make sure I stick to condition set by the parole commissioners.
I want to help on this project to try and improve other peoples experience as I want to avoid others experiencing what I did.
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Michael Warren
A Project Manager for Extern, overseeing the operational functions of two Probation Approved Premises in Belfast. The premises consist of a combined 34 beds for adult male individuals who are subject to Probation supervision. -
Anne Johnston
A Research Officer at Praxis Care and Visiting Scholar at QUB and currently an Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellow. Her research interests include evidence synthesis to inform decision making in health and social care and development and evaluation of interventions for people with mental ill health, intellectual disabilities and autism. -
Ciara Corrigan
A qualified social worker with experience working across justice, health and family support. Currently work with Niacro as Programme Lead for women, children/young people and families. Our work includes working directly with families and children impacted by a family members imprisonment. Our women’s work focuses on supporting women through and beyond the justice system. -
Phil Anderson
A consultant specialising in child, adolescent, and forensic psychiatry. the clinical lead for the regional Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for Northern Ireland (FCAMHSNI) and the medical lead for ACORN Therapeutic Service supports local services with enhanced risk management for young people with complex needs and public safety issues
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Amy Grimason
Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
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Sharon McVicker
Dual qualified as a Registered general and mental health nurse, with 21 years within addiction services in England and NI. My role is Mental Health, Addiction & Engagement lead for Health Care in Prison.
Recent Mental Health services include Crisis Resolution Home Treatment, Mental Health Liaison Service and Mental health Inpatient services.
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Katie McArdle
I am working in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust as a Forensic Psychologist in Training in a Community Forensic Learning Disability Team. I am psychology graduate from Trinity College Dublin and a Forensic Psychology MSc graduate from Glasgow Caledonian University with an interest in risk assessment and policy making. -
Michael McCracken
A Principal Psychologist with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland and has previously worked in custody and residential mental health care. He has post graduate qualifications in Applied Forensic Psychology, Counselling, and Psychotherapeutic Studies and is currently a member of the Confederation of European Probation expert group on mental health and probation. -
Caroline Hickey
Caroline Hickey works in the Department of Health in the Northern Ireland, she is part of a team responsible for the Improving Health within Criminal Justice Strategy.
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Jenny McAlarney
Works in Reducing Offending Division in the Department of Justice. Has policy responsibility for both youth justice and health in justice. I am the lead co-ordinator on the joint Improving Health within Criminal Justice Strategy and Action Plan along with a colleague in the Department of Health. Is a member of the Forensic Managed Care Advisory Board. -
Nadene O'Loan
I have worked in healthcare since the age of 18, working as a domestic assistant and nursing assistant whilst studying for my degree in Psychology at Queens University Belfast and Masters in Applied Psychology from University of Ulster. I completed my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2005 and have worked in the NHS for 19 years as a Clinical Psychologist specialising in intellectual (learning) disabilities. I have developed a specialist interest in forensic mental health, particularly in the area of intellectual/ learning disability.
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Leslie-Anne Newton
My job within ARC NI is to facilitate brokerage and relationships across the learning disability sector in Northern Ireland between government, providers and people who use services and supports to identify and find solutions for the things that are not working in our systems. I do this by providing a platform for service providers to share best practice in order to achieve real change; and profile and celebrate the outcomes achieved when providing the right support improves the lives of people supported.
