His Majesty The King has announced his Birthday Honours List 2024 which recognises contributions to mental health.
Over 1,000 people from across the UK have received Honours in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List 2024. The list of change-makers and innovators included two psychiatrists:
RCPsych Fellow Professor Rachel Upthegrove, Consultant Psychiatrist at Birmingham Early Intervention Service and Professor of Psychiatry and Youth Mental Health at The University of Birmingham. Professor Upthegrove received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to Mental Health Research and to Life Sciences.
RCPsych Member Dr Amar Shah, Chair of the College's Quality Improvement Committee and NHS England's National Clinical Director for Improvement, has received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Healthcare Improvement.
Dr Lade Smith CBE, President of The Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
“I am delighted that Rachel and Amar have been recognised for their invaluable contribution to the field of mental health. These Honours are both is richly deserved and testament to both Rachel and Amar's commitment to understanding and improving outcomes for people with mental illness, some of the most vulnerable in our society.”
Also recognised
Along with several others, we would like to congratulate a number of our partners also recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours for their tireless work over the years to improve services and commitment to mental health. They are:
Professor Fonagy OBE, Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, who has received a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), for services to Mental Health Care for Children and Young People.
Dr Jeanelle De Gruchy, President, Association of Directors of Public Health and Chair, Greater Manchester Directors of Public Health, who has received an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), for services to public health.
Lindsay Robinson, who has received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to perinatal mental health in Northern Ireland.
List of other recipients
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- Professor Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Cambridge. For services to research in human cognitive processes.
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
- Rachel Ashe, Founder and Managing Director, Mental Health Swims. For services to people with mental health issues.
- Dr Nistor-Dumitru Becia, Senior Psychologist, Swansea Bay University Health Board. For services to Ukrainian refugees.
- Ernest Benbow, for services to the NHS, to mental health in sport and to education in St. Helens, Merseyside.
- Richard Boyd, Senior Policy Adviser, Department for Business and Trade. For services to mental health.
- Michael Edwards, Founder and Life-Long President, My Life My Choice. For services to people with learning disabilities.
- Gary O’Hare, Chief Nurse, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. For services to mental health and disabilities in the NHS.
- Dean Stott, for services to Sport, and to humanitarian and mental health awareness.
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire
- Sharna Bowman, for services to young people's mental health and wellbeing.
- Christian Dixon, Chief Executive, The Arts of Change. For services to mental health in Dudley and the Black Country.
- Craig Doy Russo, Clinical Operational Manager, Police Custody Healthcare NHS, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust. For services to mental health nursing.
The full Birthday Honours list for 2024 is available on the Government’s website.
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896