Press Releases

Expert in depression visits University of Reading – University of Reading

Release Date : 07 December 2009

News of a major shift in mental health policy in England has come on the same day that a leading expert in treating depression visits the University of Reading.

 

The new Government strategy, to be published next week, is expected to call for better identification of those most at risk and wider access to psychological therapies for patients

 

Professor Keith Dobson, from the University of Calgary, is holding a workshop at the Charlie Waller Institute of Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment based at the University of Reading. It is the first of its type to train clinicians exclusively in proven psychological treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

 

The training is delivered by leading national and international experts in the field who have developed and evaluated the treatments.

 

Professor Roz Shafran, Co-Director of the Charlie Waller Institute, said:  “We are committed to training therapists to provide the sort of treatment that has been shown to work in scientific trials.

 

“Today we are thrilled to have Professor Dobson whose interests lie primarily in the area of cognition and various psychopathological states; notably depression.”

 

Professor Louis Appleby, the Government's mental health tsar, said at any one time one in six people were struggling with depression, but only a quarter of those people were in treatment.

 

ENDS

 

For more information please contact Rona Cheeseman on 0118 378 7388, email r.cheeseman@reading.ac.uk

 

 

Notes to editor

Professor Roz Shafran and Professor Keith Dobson are available for interview – please call the press office to arrange.

 

The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at Reading is renowned for its excellence in teaching and research. In the last national Research Assessment Exercise in 2008, 95% of the research produced by academic staff in the department was recognised as of international quality, with over 60% rated as 'internationally excellent' or 'world leading'. It was also awarded the top marks for its teaching with an Excellent rating in the last Teaching Quality Audit.

 

University of Reading

The University of Reading is rated as one of the top 200 universities in the world (THE-QS World Rankings 2009).

 

• The University of Reading is one of the UK’s top research-intensive universities. The University is ranked in the top 20 UK higher education institutions in securing research council grants worth nearly £10 million from EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, AHRC and BBSRC. In the RAE 2008, over 87% of the university’s research was deemed to be of international standing. Areas of particular research strength recognised include meteorology and climate change, typography and graphic design, archaeology, philosophy, food biosciences, construction management, real estate and planning, as well as law.

 

• Standards of teaching are excellent - the University scored highly in the National Student Survey 2009.  87% of Reading students responding to the survey stated they were satisfied with the quality of their course.

 

• The University is estimated to contribute £600 million to the local economy annually.

 

·        University of Reading is a member of the 1994 Group of 19 leading research-intensive universities. The Group was established in 1994 to promote excellence in university research and teaching. Each member undertakes diverse and high-quality research, while ensuring excellent levels of teaching and student experience. www.1994group.ac.uk

 

·        More information at www.reading.ac.uk