President's lectures from 2025
Social justice and health equity
Date: 30 January 2025
Synopsis
Sir Michael Marmot visited the Northern Ireland Winter Conference 2025 and was the guest of RCPsych President Dr Lade Smith, CBE.
The highlight of an exceptional agenda, Sir Michael's speech titled 'Social justice and health equity' looked at the background to health inequity and inequality across the UK and solutions.
After taking questions from delegates, Sir Michael joined Northern Ireland chair Dr Julie Anderson and Minister of Health at the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, Mike Nesbitt, for a panel discussion on health inequalities in Northern Ireland and what could be done, and the panel took audience questions.
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Severe mental illness and violence: how effective treatment can improve stigma
Date: 14 November 2025
Synopsis
We were thrilled to welcome Professor Seena Fazel who delivered the President's Prestigious lecture at RCPsych in Wales 20th Year Autumn Academic Conference on Friday 14 November.
After the lecture - in which Professor Fazel talked about the findings of his systematic review earlier in the year - we staged an excellent panel discussion involving expert by experience Graham Morgan and consultant forensic psychiatrist Professor Pamela Taylor.
Community mental health
Date: 15 December 2025
Synopsis
We were delighted to welcome Sir Graham Thornicroft, Honorary Fellow, Professor of Community Psychiatry and architect of the National Service Framework for Mental Health - to give the President's Prestigious lecture.
Sir Graham discussed
- the history of community mental health care
- current models of service provision
- the resources and principles required for ideal system delivery.
This much anticipated speech was followed by a panel discussion in which we were be joined by
- Dr Ranjeet Shah, who has led the implementation of the Community Mental Health Framework across Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys
- Dr Fabida Aria, consultant psychiatrist developing the 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre in Birmingham
- an expert by experience from Somerset, where the Community Mental Health Framework has also successfully been implemented, and
- NHS England's National Clinical Director for Adult Mental Health, Dr Mary Docherty.
