Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes is to represent the British Psychological Society, of which he is President Elect, on the group developing NHS England’s new national strategy for mental health.
On his appointment, Professor Hacker Hughes said: “I’m delighted that I have been invited to work alongside Paul Farmer and other respected and eminent colleagues and service users from across the sector and to be representing the British Psychological Society on the Mental Health Task Force, announced yesterday by Simon Stevens, in developing a new five-year all-age cross-system psychological health national strategy.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a piece of work that will hopefully make a real difference to many millions of lives.”
Professor Hacker Hughes is Director of the Veterans and Families Institute at Anglia Ruskin. He specialises in military and veteran psychological health and in the assessment and treatment of psychotrauma.
The taskforce will explore the variation in the availability of mental health services across England, look at the outcomes for people who are using services and identify key priorities for improvement.
It will also consider ways of promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, improving the physical health of people with mental health problems, and look at whether the NHS is spending money and time on the right things.
The taskforce will be chaired by Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind. More details can be found on the NHS England website.
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For more press information please contact:
Jon Green on t: 0845 196 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk
Jamie Forsyth on t: 0845 196 4716, e: jamie.forsyth@anglia.ac.uk
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Professor to advise NHS on mental health plan
27 March 2015
A Professor at Anglia Ruskin University is to be part of a new taskforce set up by NHS England to improve mental health provision in England.