Blog posts

Mental health services must be a priority in post-conflict Ukraine

Two years on from the invasion of Ukraine, we publish a series of blog posts sharing insights from our Ukraine Health Summit, hosted in partnership with the British Red Cross to further efforts in supporting the delivery and restoration of health services in Ukraine.

The first post addresses the importance of mental health services in post-conflict Ukraine, and is written by Melanie Leis, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, with colleagues.

On April 25th 2023, Imperial College London hosted the first Ukraine Health Summit. This event presented an opportunity to discuss how Ukraine’s health system must be re-built to ensure it addresses the needs of its population in a post-conflict setting.

COP28: Centring Mental Health in the Health Response to Climate Change

Join us on this journey as we recap the highlights of COP28 in the UAE. The Climate Cares Centre team shed light on the profound interconnections between mental health and climate change, and the critical window for shifting from a vicious to a virtuous cycle, enabling people and the planet to thrive. 

The 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) was a turning point for the centring of human health in climate negotiations. Political leaders began to acknowledge climate change as a health emergency, including at COP’s first ‘Health Day’, where more than 140 countries made a historic commitment to the UAE Declaration on Climate and Health, and one billion USD in finance commitments were pledged for climate and health.

Climate Change and Mental Health: Insights from Connecting Climate Minds’ First Regional Dialogues 

As climate change continues to reshape our world, it’s not just landscapes that are transforming; the mental health of communities worldwide is also on the line. Over the past month, Connecting Climate Minds has been uniting global experts, researchers, and stakeholders in the diverse fields relevant to climate change and/or mental health from across the world. These discussions transcend borders, bringing together experts from seven regions of the world: Latin America and the Caribbean; Sub-Saharan Africa; Northern Africa and Western Asia; Central and South-Eastern Asia; Eastern and South-Eastern Asia; Oceania; and Europe and North America. The current field of mental health and climate change are disconnected and siloed, which reflects an urgent need to align research and action at the intersection of these two fields.

Breaking barriers — My path to becoming the Julia Anderson Change Lab Behavioural Science Trainee

In our blog series, we present the captivating stories of the fourth cohort of Julia Anderson trainees. As an impactful initiative at the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), the Julia Anderson Training Programme (JATP) provides people with little or no prior work experience with paid work experience. Last week, Beatrice shared her unique journey as the Helix Centre Trainee. Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to the last trainee, CJ, the Change Lab Behavioural Science Trainee, determined to pursue her dream of becoming a clinical psychologist.

Discovering my true colours

My name is Calea-Jay, but you can call me ‘CJ’—that’s what my friends and family call me.

Designing inclusive healthcare – my experience as the Julia Anderson Helix Trainee

In our blog series, we present the captivating stories of the fourth cohort of Julia Anderson trainees. As an impactful initiative at the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), the Julia Anderson Training Programme (JATP) provides people with little or no prior work experience with paid work experience. Last week Rao shared her story as the Programme Operations Trainee. Today, we will introduce you to Beatrice, the Julia Anderson Helix Centre Trainee, whose passion for making healthcare more accessible and inclusive has led her on an incredible journey.

Getting to know me

My name is Beatrice, a trilingual girl from Hong Kong who can speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin fluently.

Embracing change – My journey of self-discovery as the Julia Anderson Programme Operations Trainee

In our blog series, we present the captivating stories of the fourth cohort of Julia Anderson trainees. As an impactful initiative at the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), the Julia Anderson Training Programme (JATP) provides people with little or no prior work experience with paid work experience.

For the first blog post of this series, we will share Rao’s story as the Programme Operations Trainee at IGHI, whose journey is about self-discovery and growth, transforming uncertainties into opportunities.

About me: A Positive Lover of Life

I’m Rao, a non-typical Virgo with an ENFJ MBTI personality. Coming from Shijiazhuang, a vibrant city in Northern China known by its English nickname of ‘Rock Hometown,’ I’ve been lucky to grow up in a warm family with lots of support and love.

Design Dash: Accelerating innovation in NHS screening programmes

On your marks, get set… Our MSc Healthcare and Design students take part in a Design Dash, a rapid design process to solve a real-world healthcare challenge. We spoke to two students, Aoife McGrath and Jasmine Banerjee, about the process.

A design dash is a rapid, collaborative method for conceiving tangible healthcare innovations. Our Helix Centre teaches and assesses the Design Dash module on the MSc Healthcare and Design course that is aimed at healthcare professionals and designers and co-run by Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art. The students work with Helix Centre’s researchers, designers and public engagement experts on a live rapid design project to prototype a solution to an identified challenge.

Keeping OnTrack with stroke rehabilitation

The Helix Centre, part of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, is helping stroke patients to manage their recovery and increase their independence, with a wearable tool that provides support for the rehabilitation of their arm and hand.

OnTrack Rehab is a platform that combines tracking of arm movements through a smart watch with personalised virtual coaching and dedicated clinical support. The system allows stroke patients to convert every-day activities into productive rehabilitation, and stroke therapists to monitor and help guide the patients’ progress. The development of the platform has been led by a multidisciplinary team at Helix including Gianpaolo Fusari (Project Lead) and Clare McCrudden (Engagement Lead).

Fightin’ Thru – Mental Health is worth fighting for

For many young men, opening up about mental health can feel daunting, with many feeling restricted by barriers such as stigma or fear. Those who identify as Black or minority ethnic are also more likely to experience racism, poverty and poorer educational outcomes than those who identify as White. These young people are also less likely to seek help through traditional mental health services.

To tackle this, the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) teamed up with The Mind Map, a Liverpool-based mental health organisation, and Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Club in Toxteth, Liverpool, to form Fightin’ Thru. Fightin’ Thru is a boxing-themed campaign using innovative, creative and non-traditional mediums to raise awareness and encourage opening up about mental health in minoritised young men.

The cost of caring: How to support wellbeing in climate careers

Dr Emma Lawrance, Lead Policy Fellow for Mental Health, IGHI and Jessica Newberry Le Vay, Junior Policy Fellow in Climate Change and Health are part of Climate Cares.

In November 2022, we brought discussions about the interconnections between climate change and mental health and wellbeing to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt – at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference. This was only the second time that mental health has been a focus of COP events, with our COP26 Resilience Hub event the first, and overdue. We built new relationships with others who work in the climate change and mental health space, fostering community and collaboration.