February 2003
News

All in the Mind

The University's work in the area of mental health has attracted attention from the BBC, resulting in a visit by popular television and radio presenter Dr Raj Persaud.

Dr Persaud's visit was part of a BBC Radio 4's programme 'All in the Mind', which discussed innovative mental health services in Bradford.

Dr Raj Persaud and Pat Bracken.

The University's School of Health Studies is developing a reputation for innovation in the area of service-user involvement and efforts to implement a social approach to mental health problems.

During his visit Dr Persaud, who is a regular guest on ITV's This Morning show, visited the School's new Centre for Citizenship and Community Mental Health, situated in the Department of Primary Care.

The Centre is a new development which aims to bring service-users, community organisations, professionals and academics together in an attempt to develop a democratic agenda in the area of mental health. The concept of 'citizenship' is central to the Centre, stressing that for many people with mental health problems it is the associated loss of social position that causes most problems.

Dr Persaud interviewed Dr Pat Bracken and Dr Phil Thomas, who alongside Dr Simon Gelsthorpe and Professor Neil Small, are involved in getting the Centre up and running.

Pat said: "Working to boost the citizenship of those who use mental health services is an important therapeutic task. Professionals and academics have a vital role in this area as their interventions can either work for or against this project."

10 February 2002

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