Press Release

London schoolchildren invited to find out more about mental illness...and do something!

CNWL is holding an event - just for schoolchildren - on mental illness.

Mental Health and Me: Insights into Mental Illnesswill be a lively, interactive and informative session for students interested in a career in health, its science base and generally who are inquisitive and just want to know "why"?

Full of surprises it aims to generate insight and interest. It is aimed at any students from year nine onwards and the content of the event will be age-appropriate.

It will be a Reith Lecture-style event with two experienced psychiatrists talking about their clinical experiences and case books, lives in science and how they came into the profession.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) provides mental health services to residents of North London and Milton Keynes. CNWL is also the main local provider of sexual health, community (Health Visitors, District Nurses) and addictions services.

Two of our leading Consultant Psychiatrists, Dr Ann Lingford-Hughes and Dr Ed Beveridge will be energising the interactive session on why mental health matters, dispelling some myths about mental disorders, discussing the effect drugs and alcohol have on the brain and how neuroimaging (producing images of the brain) is being used to detect psychiatric disorders.

Claire Murdoch , Chief Executive, said, "mental health is a big issue for the next generation; they will mould new social attitudes and may even come to work in this sphere to make discoveries, find fame for it and - most importantly - change lives. It starts here where the inquisitive collide with highly skilled doctors. We want students to bring a new light to the topic, in their schools now and their careers soon. The future's bright."

The free session is being held at the prestigious Royal College of Physicians.

Date: Wednesday 9 March 2016

Time: 1.30pm - 2.45pm

Venue: Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, London NW1 4LE

For further information or to book a place for pupils at the event, please contact the CNWL Communications Team communications.cnwl@nhs.net or call 0203 214 5763.