RCPsych Wales Joint Academic Conference with the Welsh Psychiatric Society and National Centre for Mental Health

Programme

Speakers

Dr Jenny Parker

Dr Parker is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at NHS North East London Foundation Trust as well as Senior Clinical Research Associate at Cambridge University, Department of Psychiatry. She has over 18 years’ experience working in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the NHS, as well as in the Specialist Education and Care Sectors. Dr Parker’s extensive experience in Neuropsychiatry was recognised on becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2021. She is an elected member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Faculty Executive Committee and is the Neurodevelopmental Disorders representative on the Royal College of Psychiatry Autism Group and Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Special Interest Group.

Professor Helen Killaspy

ACER study - a national study funded by the NIHR to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of inpatient mental health rehabilitation services in the NHS and Independent Sector in England

Professor Killaspy is a clinical academic working in the field of rehabilitation psychiatry. Her research has provided crucial evidence for the effectiveness of specialist services for people with complex mental health needs. She has played a key role in ensuring this evidence is included in policy to support ongoing investment in mental health rehabilitation services in the UK and abroad. She was the Topic Adviser for the first NICE Clinical Guideline on Mental Health Rehabilitation Services (CG 181, NICE, 2020) that provides evidence-based recommendations for commissioners to invest in local rehabilitation services.

Dr Mayura Deshpande

25 years of homicide inquiries: what is left to learn

Dr Deshpande is a Consultant in Forensic Psychiatry and the National Specialty Advisor in secure care to NHS England. She is chair of the Adult Secure Clinical Reference Group and works with clinicians and commissioners to advise NHS England on matters to do with inpatient low, medium and high secure forensic services and community forensic services. She works clinically in a low secure service in Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, a large provider of community and mental health services in Hampshire. She is also an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Southampton where her research interests include patient safety and mental health homicide investigation methodology.

Dr Emily Peckham

Supporting people with severe mental illness to be more physically active

Dr Peckham is the Co-Director of the Centre for Mental Health and Society (CHMHAS). Her background is as a research chemist, with a degree in Chemistry from the University of Bath. She moved into health services research in 2009 when was awarded a three-year full-time School of Healthcare scholarship at the University of Leeds. Since completing her PhD in 2012 she has focused on mental health research. Currently her research is focused on reducing the heath inequalities of people with severe mental ill health (SMI). The aim being to inform and influence service providers, healthcare providers and policy makers to make changes that reduce the mortality gap between the general population and people with severe mental ill health.

Professor James Walters

Introducing the Brain and Genomics Hub of the new UK Mental Health Platform

Professor Walters is the Director for the Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics. His research interests centre on three areas: (i) using genetics to gain insight into the basis of psychosis and schizophrenia including characterising the clinical features of those carrying rare genetic variants (ii) studying the genetic, biological and psychosocial factors associated with treatment-resistant schizophrenia with the aim of stratifying those with psychosis to develop more personalised treatment approaches and (iii) investigating the nature and genetic basis of cognitive deficits across the psychosis spectrum including developing methods of on-line cognitive assessment.

This event is run in conjunction with the Welsh Psychiatric Society and the National Centre for Mental Health who are  key players in the psychiatric landscape in Wales.

The National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) brings together world-leading researchers from Cardiff, Swansea and Bangor Universities to learn more about the triggers and causes of mental health problems.

The Welsh Psychiatric Society organizes regular scientific and other meetings, awards prizes for undergraduate and post graduate achievement within psychiatry in Wales.

A number of bursaries are available for medical students.

Students are advised to contact Annie Fabian for further information and application.

We are now accepting abstracts for the poster competition.

The deadline for submissions is midnight, 17 February 2025 and entries should be sent to Annie Fabian.

View the abstract submission guidelines