Emma McKenzie
Research Fellow
Emma joined the NCCMH in June 2025 as a research fellow. Her work is primarily focused on the effectiveness of mental healthcare innovations, the evaluation of NHS implementations and ethnic inequalities in mental healthcare.
Emma has worked in research for the last 10 years. Before joining the NCCMH, she was based at UCL where she worked as a research associate on the Open Dialogue: Development and Evaluation of a Social Network Intervention for Severe Mental Illness (ODDESSI) programme for 4 years. ODDESSI is a large-scale programme of research into crisis and continuing mental health care within the NHS.
Emma is a part-time PhD student in Clinical Psychology at UCL. Her research investigates experiences and outcomes of Open Dialogue treatment for service users from minoritised ethnic groups and methods of implementing Open Dialogue services in the NHS.
Emma has a passion for understanding and addressing inequalities in mental health, particularly those experienced by minoritised ethnic groups. She is also passionate about relational care.
Key publications
Mckenzie E, Barnett P, Parker G, Pilling S. Adaptations to implementation frameworks for minority ethnic groups to improve health equity: a systematic scoping review. BJPsych Open. Forthcoming.
Razzaque R, Mckenzie E. Introducing compassionate and relational Enquiry (CARE): a three-day training for mental health clinicians on relational ways of working. Community Mental Health Journal. 2024;60:1037–41.
Razzaque R, Mckenzie E. Dialogical and Relational Taster Training (DARTT): Service User, Carer & Public Perception. Community Mental Health Journal. 2025;61:907–12. doi: 10.1007/s10597-024-01429-6.