LONDON’S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
UCL Mental Health Strategy: Unified Impactful Progressive
Mental Health matters
Mental Health is one of the biggest At UCL, we want to ‘bend the curve’ challenges of the 21st Century in mental health research, education We should be in a with significant human, social and and support. We are inspired by position where mental economic impact across the globe. the progress made in other areas of illness is prevented or medicine which has seen increasing cured, or where we can In an era of increasing stress and life expectancy and many diseases an ageing population, mental illness retreating in front of science. reduce the suffering of is becoming more prevalent in those affected. UCL many societies. 615 million people Through integrating scholarship, wants to get there… worldwide suffer with anxiety and research excellence and our depression and the World Health work with partners we have an Organisation predicts that depression outstanding opportunity to deliver will be the leading global cause of long-term benefits to our diverse morbidity by 2030. local community across London and beyond, our UCL students and Much has been done to break the staff, the NHS, charity and education taboo of problems in mental health services in the UK, and scholars and but we have seen relatively few health professionals across the globe. developments of new treatments in the last 30 years. There is still so much we don’t know or understand about the brain - the organ of the mind – and how its development is shaped by biological, psychological and social risk factors.
Mental Health: A Preface 01 Why UCL?
We are recognised for our radical, The UCL ethos of interdisciplinary Longitudinal population health critical thinking and widespread thinking and collaborative working expertise is a unique selling point influence. UCL was ranked first creates a seamless timeline from for UCL. We host all four of Britain’s for Psychology, Psychiatry and basic and blue-sky research to national birth cohort studies of rich, Neuroscience by U.K.’s Research applied patient and population cross-generation lifetime health data Excellence Framework. The RAND health impact. We take a ‘lifespan from communities of participants born Analysis of Highly Cited publications approach’, addressing social and in 1946, 1958, 1970 or 2000. This (biomedical and health research in health inequalities from the cradle to unique resource allows us to examine England) had UCL ranked first in the grave. Our academics have forged biological, social and neurological mental health. We explore every lasting and embedded partnerships factors that help us understand the opportunity to consider how our work with the NHS, national Government impact of mental health on social, can deliver positive, real-world social and the third sector to ensure 100% economic and health outcomes across change. coverage across diverse primary and huge, longitudinal data sets – rather social care communities in the UK. than looking at clinical data in isolation. There’s something different about With most of our leading experts UCL. Our world-renowned multi- undertaking dual appointments as Staff across all eleven of UCL’s disciplinary academic community UCL researchers and NHS clinicians, academic faculty areas are actively is grounded in excellence and we are working on the front-line, engaged in this ‘super-field’ of mental engenders an inquisitive, collaborative ensuring our research and education health research and education, and forward-thinking culture which has patient outcomes at its heart. working beyond the traditional is committed to rejecting internal boundaries of other universities to competition, breaking down silos, and UCL is committed to actively adopt a holistic approach - from toppling ivory towers. UCL cherishes engaging participants with lived molecular studies to reviewing curiosity and imagination and believes experience of mental illness in our national policy or shaping global that the expansion of knowledge and research processes and we have a treatments. UCL has a unique and scholarship is fundamental to the strong heritage of primary and social rich combination of knowledge and development and improvement care patient participation to ensure ambition, blending a wealth and of society. a contemporary, ‘co-production’ quality of pre-clinical capability with approach. We also have unrivalled diverse complementary expertise to We believe that our excellence - access to huge NHS clinical understand lifelong mental health. founded in audacious and disruptive databases and population health thinking and crossing boundaries research cohorts to give a public - should deliver benefit on a global health depth and context to our work. scale. We don’t work simply in response to policy and funding trends or to increase our global footprint. neuroscience We look to generate practical impact. computer science psychology
pharmacy psychiatry Mental Health education population health
statistics & information genetics
imaging
02 Mental Health: A Preface UCL has long been at the forefront UCL’s best-in-class imaging The work of our UCL Great Ormond of developing evidenced-based technologies and multidisciplinary Street Institute of Child Health and psychological therapies to investigative expertise in The Wellcome the Anna Freud Centre, explores complement biological interventions, Trust Centre for Neuroimaging helps how developmental neuroscience links with our division of psychiatry boasting us to understand how thought and physical and mental health in children wide impact in both policy and novel behaviour arise from brain activity, - working with the NHS, government treatments. The field ofpsychiatry and how such processes break and school partners. The Duchess of and understanding psychiatric disorder down in neurological and psychiatric Cambridge, HRH Princess Catherine, is complex, leaning on many branches disorders. Our research groups – with is the patron of the Anna Freud Centre of science. UCL’s approach to looking over 100 clinicians, researchers and and visited our UCL neuroscientist’s at psychiatry through cognitive support staff (and a wider network team to discover how environment neuroscience, particularly the new of more than 200 collaborators and biology interact to shape the way field ofcomputational psychiatry, is across UCL and around the globe) - children develop both socially and unique. study all aspects of higher cognitive emotionally. function including vision, hearing, Our expertise in broad cognitive memory, language, reasoning, The UCL Dementia Research science confers significant strength emotion, decision-making and social Centre, which is the anchor for the and depth which we apply to both interactions. UK Dementia Institute, is a hub for mental disorders and mental health. patient-centred research and clinical UCL is undoubtedly a neuroscience Our School of Pharmacy is an engine trials in Alzheimer’s disease and other powerhouse - ranked 2nd in the room for developing and evaluating common causes of dementia but also World for neuroscience publications new psychotropic medications and examines young-onset, inherited and according to Clarivate Incites - and better ways of administering those unusual dementias. Our work focuses when combined with mathematical treatments, while our Bartlett School on identifying and understanding the rigour is helping us to understand the of Architecture is examining the disease, ways to improve diagnosis functioning of the brain and mind in impact of the built environment and treatments and how best to radically new ways. on conditions including depression support people with dementia and and anxiety. There are many other their families. Complementing our strengths research projects, national networks in neuroscience, psychiatry and and partnership collaborations Finally, UCL’s Professor of Evidence psychology – and our unique Based Practice and Research (and across education, law, economics, population health (epidemiology) and NHS England advisor) Miranda computer science, engineering data science – is a diverse range of Wolpert MBE is to lead an ambitious and arts & culture where UCL plays other academic fields where UCL’s a leading role in understanding and Wellcome Trust programme international expertise adds new supporting mental health in the overseeing a £200million national perspective, depth and inspiration 21st Century. fund to develop a ‘super-discipline’ to our work in mental health. of mental health science. The UCL addresses the full spectrum programme has a particular focus on of lifelong mental health, from anxiety and depression treatments, developmental disorders to dementia. including in young people with 75% of people with a mental health problem psychiatry developing their illness before the age of 24.
population health
Mental Health: A Preface 03 ai158279765515_stats-graphics-references_purple.pdf 1 27/02/2020 10:00
U L INSTITUTE O ENTAL EALT
Cost and impact ofCost mental and health impact problems of mental health problems
funding for child and adolescent mental health service equates to just 0.7% of total NHS budget and just 7% of mental health expenditure
1 in 6 people experience mental illness each year
C
M UK research spend almost half of adults per adult (2014) Y in England have reported CM that they have had a diagnosable mental health MY problem at some point in their lives CY
CMY
K
only 5.5% of the UK research economic and social budget is dedicated cost in England to mental health of approximately £105 billion
83 79 68 59
around one in 10 people between 5 and 16 have people with severe a mental mental health problems health problem have a reduced life expectancy
6,000 deaths suicide from suicide in accidental poisoning the UK in 2015 land transport accidents
suicide is now the leading cause of death for young men
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U L INSTITUTE O ENTAL EALT
Research & Cost and impact Innovation of mental health problems
With leading and cutting-edge The ground breaking department UCL scientists, including Professor research across the full spectrum of of Computational Psychiatry led Essi Viding, Professor Pasco mental health, from understanding the by renown neuro-psychiatrist and Fearon, Professor Eamon McCrory funding for child and adolescent science at a molecular level through Brain Prize winner Professor Ray and Dr Jean-Baptiste Pingault, mental health service equates to work which translates discoveries Dolan, has harnessed computational conduct world-leading research in to just 0.7% of total NHS budget and just 7% of mental into action and connects practice techniques and mathematical models developmental psychopathology. health expenditure and policy, our research at UCL is of psychiatric behaviours to develop a Their work addresses the genetic connected and embedded in unique programme of tasks to assess origins, as well as neural correlates of 1 in 6 people experience real-world settings. a participant’s appetite for risk and mental health problems in childhood mental illness each year predict changes in mood through and adolescence. This genetic We are passionate about recognising risk and measuring and neuroscience perspective is C understanding the ‘mechanics’ and sensitivity to rewards. The programme complemented by research on the pathways of the development of M UK research spend has been developed as a smartphone environment, testing the impact almost half of adults per adult (2014) mental illness – looking at biological Y app in partnership with a global of parenting and trauma on child in England have reported including genetic, psychological telecomms company development. Drawing on this scientific CM that they have had a diagnosable mental health and social factors. We apply cutting work and on experience in clinical MY problem at some point edge computational modelling and Bridging between clinical and research practice, UCL experts have led large- in their lives CY epidemiological approaches to provide worlds, Functional Cognitive Disorder scale treatment trials and radical new a broad, longitudinal approach to (FCD) is a condition in patients who are CMY programmes such as the Anna Freud mental health. We are world leaders in not diagnosed with clinical dementia K Family School. They are also at the excellence in clinical practice, with a but continue to seek reassurance forefront of science-based policy particular reputation for our strength about memory loss. Professor Rob only 5.5% of the impact, working with government and UK research in developing primary clinical trials Howard and colleagues at UCL have third sector organisations to improve economic and social budget is dedicated with patients. developed a new meta-cognition cost in England to mental health the mental health of children and of approximately training video to enhance confidence young people. £105 billion The establishment of our flagship in cognitive performance which aims Institute of Mental Health in 2019 will to reduce mental health deterioration, ensure direct and rapid access to particularly in the elderly. 83 79 68 UCL’s diverse expertise across Our work on the mental-physical 59 myriad fields. health interface, led by Prof David Osborn and Dr Joe Hayes, aims to Professor Gill Livingston’s Lancet understand and close the 20 year around one in 10 commission looks at non-genetic gap between life expectancy in people between interventions which address 5 and 16 have people with severe people with serious mental illness a mental mental health problems dementia risk factors. These diverse and the rest of the population. health problem have a reduced interventions include education for life expectancy We unpick the mechanisms which children and young people, monitoring create this inequality and we evaluate blood pressure and hearing in middle- pharmacological and behavioural aged participants and supporting interventions to improve health cognitive health and treating diseases outcomes. This work capitalises on like diabetes in the elderly. UCL’s cross-disciplinary strengths
6,000 deaths suicide in primary care, health psychology from suicide in accidental poisoning and trials. the UK in 2015 land transport accidents suicide is now the leading cause of death for young men
Mental Health: A Preface 05 Education & Dissemination
At UCL our research and partnership- The recruitment and development We also offer an unrivalled breadth working enriches global scholarship of high-quality research students is of Master’s programmes relevant for and delivers opportunities for a critical to the university’s long-term Mental Health based in London – one transformative education with a success. Every year, we equip over 70 of the world’s greatest cities – with reputation for innovation, reach doctoral students to become future high demand from the brightest and legacy. Our multi-modal scientists, clinicians, policy creators students in the UK and internationally. education and training encourages and influencers with the right mix of These include MSc in Clinical Mental independent thinking from students in interdisciplinary skills needed to pose Health Sciences, which provides neuroscientific, clinical, anthropological and answer challenging questions students with both clinical and and social terms and is led by world around mental health and inspire research experience, and MRes in experts, government advisers, and the next generation of mental health Developmental Neuroscience and NHS clinicians to ensure we continue scientists. Our postdoctoral positions Psychopathology, run jointly with Yale to build capacity for mental health and early career training fellowships, University, with a year of mental health research and treatment in the future. including prestigious awards from the research experience at Yale University. Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Students from these programmes Council, Economic and Social typically continue to a PhD or clinical Research Council, and National training, with current cohorts having Institute for Health Research, secured positions in top universities further highlight our reputation and including Oxford, Cornell, and reach. These awards allow the brightest King’s College. early career mental health scientists to develop independent research careers, to maximise its influence on policy and practice and accelerate their progress into academic or non-academic leadership to make a global impact in the area of mental health.
06 Mental Health: A Preface UCL’s START (strategy for relatives) Professor Sonia Johnson is the UCL’s success in training the next project supports the family carers Director of the National Mental generation of Mental Health Scientists of relatives with dementia and trains Health Policy Research Unit and is measured by the achievements voluntary sector support workers to led an independent review of the UK’s of those who take their training out deliver the programme at a community Mental Health Act requested by of UCL. Dr Suzi Gage completed level. Carers on the programme were the Prime Minister. Her findings have her BSc Psychology and MSc in assessed to be 5 times less likely to resulted in new measures introduced Cognitive Neuropsychology at UCL suffer from depression than those who to reduce involuntary admission and and is now a lecturer in Psychology did not, shaping NICE guidelines for treatment of mental health patients and Epidemiology at the University of a national and global roll-out of the under the Act. Liverpool. Her research focuses on project, including making alternative understanding associations between cultural and language variations to lifestyle behaviours and mental engage different communities. Professor Peter Fonagy OBE, Chief health. She produces and presents Executive of the Anna Freud Centre the award winning podcast Say Why for children’s mental health and to Drugs, where she explores what UCL psychoanalyst and clinical we know, and what we don’t, about psychologist, is leading radical recreational drugs. She writes widely policy change in children and young for the general public, including for people’s mental health through greater the Guardian website, and her first integration of the UK Government’s book is being published in January Department for Education (DfE) and 2020. Suzi is a Wellcome Trust Public Department of Health and Social Engagement Fellow, and is Social Care (DHSC) which will result in new Media Editor for the journal Addiction. standards of evidence-based mental
Photo: Jim Moray health treatments offered across all UK schools from 2020.
Left image: Hey Clay! Workshop at Sunken Studio, Leeds, in association with the MARCH Network based at UCL, which focuses on transforming our understanding of how social, cultural and community assets can support mental health. Photo credit – Joanna Crawford Mental Health: A Preface 07 Partnerships Student & Staff Mental Health at UCL
But UCL cannot deliver We also work collaboratively with Students arriving at UCL for the first media and technology partners and time need to adapt to significant global change alone… other universities including Harvard changes brought about by new Our strategic partnerships bring and Yale in the US, Karolinska Insitute independence and separation from together complementary strengths in Sweden, Max Plank in Germany, family and old friends. For many, these and deepen the impact of our cross- Neuroscience Center Zürich in changes are exciting and challenging disciplinary education and research. Switzerland, and Cambridge University and an intrinsic part of the attraction of UCL is committed to forming and King’s College London here in the going to university. However, for some partnerships with industry, healthcare UK. they can also give rise to ongoing anxiety and stress. providers, governments and with other We are a founding partner in one centres of academic excellence across of the first academic health science Staff at UCL also manage a variety of the world. Partnership working is the partnerships, UCL Partners, working challenges around their different roles, sustaining foundation on which our alongside 23 NHS hospital trusts, time pressures, and work-life balance. success in research and education 20 clinical commissioning groups Changes in personal circumstances or is built and collaborative approaches and 9 other universities to co-create at work can affect staff members to responding to mental health healthcare solutions and access a in ways that pose a risk to mental challenges remain at the forefront highly diverse patient population of well-being. of the national and global agenda in over six million people registered at the discovery science and population partner hospitals. Student and staff mental health health. are rightly receiving attention and The UCL Great Ormond Street UCL is actively applying its The UCLH National Institute of Institute of Child Health (ICH), together research expertise to strengthen Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical with its clinical partner Great Ormond the support we can offer students Research Centre (BRC) has a Street Hospital for Children, forms and staff. We want to see everyone vibrant and growing mental health the largest concentration of children’s realise their academic or career theme which is linked to similar BRC health research in Europe. potential and promote positive themes across England to foster mental health and well-being. translational research. Our internal The inspirational mission of the UCL riches across mental health research Great Ormond Street Institute of Child and education are complemented Health is to: “improve the health and by deep and important partnerships well-being of children, and the adults with the NHS across London, they will become, through world- especially Camden and Islington NHS class research, education and public Foundation Trust, delivering excellence engagement”. One of the five scientific in both research and education. We programmes of the ICH academic disseminate research across the strategy focuses on molecular, service nationwide, with mental health cognitive and clinical neurosciences charities including MIND, the National to improve diagnosis and treatment Centre for Mental Health, National and to optimise cognitive function in Children’s Bureau and Action for children. Children, and with a number of UK Government departments. Our work at the Anna Freud Centre is supported by The Royal Foundation, in what is a unique and prestigious partnership.
08 Mental Health: A Preface Ambitions
We have developed well-being Establishing a flagshipUCL Institute Investment in the facility will be strategies for students and staff that of Mental Health as the vehicle matched to funding from research focus on: to bring together UCL’s expertise is and capital development grants from a key aim of UCL’s Mental Health a range of partners, including the Promoting and supporting a culture Strategy. Sitting with the Faculty of NHS. This investment will enable in which mental health problems are Brain Sciences, the Institute will be the Institute to take advantage of accepted, not stigmatised virtual, initially at least, and hence current and emerging best practice in flexible and boundless, so will facilitate mental health research facilities and Meeting the support and study needs and consolidate effective academic digital education, with leading-edge of students and staff with mental collaborations across UCL Faculties to technologies in neurophysiology, health difficulties and ensuring that ensure that we realise the full potential molecular genetics and multimodal support is accurately and widely of the interdisciplinary opportunities. imaging to push the boundaries of publicised establishing consistent It will also extend engagement to new mental health research and deliver procedures across the University partners, including industry, policy- breakthrough treatments to the Making optimal use of current makers, service-users and carers. front line. resources available for prevention Led by Director, Professor Anthony Our community of mental health and treatment David, this is an entity that will attract experts are dispersed across UCL’s Working to achieve a full integration and embrace the brightest and best Bloomsbury estate in the city, but of mental health services at UCL and talent in mental health research, to congregate around a square mile in within the local NHS to provide a increase positive treatment outcomes King’s Cross, Bloomsbury and Euston seamless local service for patients not just in London, but which is rich with higher education across the UK and beyond. As well institutions, partner hospitals and Deploying, wherever possible, trainee as pump-priming interdisciplinary research centres - alongside the mental health professionals to deliver research and early career Francis Crick and Wellcome Institutes support as part of their training development, the new Institute seeks – and technology and innovation programme to increase those paradigm-shifting collaborators, including Google. moments of true collaborative and Providing guidance and awareness integrated working to drive translation Our new UCL Institute of Mental training to those UCL academic staff of mental health research into clinical Health will be driven by leading mental involved in the support and care of care and patient impact. health professionals and researchers others but working in partnership with patients and carers. It will be outward- looking, developing pioneering approaches to the diagnosis, consultation and treatment of mental illness, embracing new technologies to disseminate knowledge and care around the world.
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