September 23, 2015

six steps to tackle mental health

The financial, social and long-term health impacts of poor mental health are only just being recognised with the latest research suggesting that in the UK mental and behavioural disorders cause at least 12% of all disability. However, despite now being on the political agenda progress is slow. Over 1,000 scientists have looked at the latest evidence, investigated the impact of the most recent technological advances and come up with six steps that will have the biggest effect on tackling mental health.

The report, part of the ROAMER programme (roadmap for mental health research in Europe), is being published in The Lancet Psychiatry, leads for politicians and policy makers to commit to targeted research, sharing of data and matching of funds.

Some of those involved came to the SMC to discuss issues such as:

• How big is the problem? Is it just a question of getting more funding?
• Which are the key scientific advances and why are they so significant?
• What changes are policymakers being asked to make? How big an impact will those changes make?
• Have policymakers been ignoring these suggestions before? What is different now and why should they listen?

Speakers:

Prof. Josep Maria Haro Abad, Coordinator of ROAMER and Research Director, Saint John of God Health Park, Barcelona, Spain

Cynthia Joyce, Chief Executive, MQ: Transforming Mental Health

Prof. Til Wykes, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience

David McDaid, Associate Professorial Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Prof Steven Williams, Head and Founder of the Department of Neuroimaging, King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience