Enriching Engagement (Round 2) awardees announced
25 August 2020
The awardees for the second round of the University of Oxford’s Enriching Engagement funding scheme have now been announced, including six projects from across the Medical Sciences Division.
New Resource for Psychiatrists: Patient Suicide
11 August 2020
A new resource aimed to support psychiatrists dealing with the death of a patient by suicide is now available from the Centre for Suicide Research at the University of Oxford.
Power Posing and Paranoia
11 August 2020
Mental Health Psychological therapy
A new study investigates the impact of power posing - the holding of wide and expansive postures - on self-reported feelings of power and the subsequent effect on paranoia.
Ethnic Inequalities in Mental Health Care
10 August 2020
The UK’s first national pledge calling on senior leaders in NHS mental health trusts, public bodies and commissioning to declare their commitment to reduce ethnic inequalities in mental health care launched 5 August 2020. The work to support this is led by the Synergi Collaborative Centre - a national five year initiative focused on eradicating ethnic inequalities in severe mental illness.
A Psychological Approach to Boosting Physical Activity in a Pandemic
3 August 2020
A new guidance paper sets out how psychological theory and techniques can be applied to increase physical activity levels in a pandemic.
Mood Homeostasis Decreases During Lockdown
29 July 2020
COVID-19 Mental Health Mood Disorders Psychological therapy
The decrease in mood homeostasis due to lockdown translates (in simulations) into 3 times more episodes of depressed mood, according to a study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, led by Dr Maxime Taquet, University of Oxford.
Antibiotics Disrupt Development of the 'Social Brain' in Mice
23 July 2020
Antibiotic treatment in early life seems to impede brain signalling pathways that function in social behaviour and pain regulation in mice, a new study, published in BMC Neuroscience, by Dr Katerina Johnson and Associate Professor Philip Burnet has found.
Race, Diversity and Inclusion
20 July 2020
The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford is committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive working environment for students, staff and members.
Career Recognition
16 July 2020
This year two members of the Department of Psychiatry have been conferred the title of Associate Professor, Jacinta O'Shea, and Alejo J Nevado-Holgado, in recognition of their exceptional contribution to research, teaching and citizenship.
New national study into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19
7 July 2020
A major UK research study - PHOSP-COVID, will investigate the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 on hospitalised patients. The new study has been awarded £8.4 million jointly by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Evidence-based Guidance for Digital Technologies and Telepsychiatry during COVID-19
25 June 2020
Dr Katharine Smith, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford gave a talk on ‘Digital technologies and telepsychiatry: an evidence-based synthesis of current guidance in the context of COVID-19’ for the Data Science for Mental Health Interest Group based at The Alan Turing Institute in London on Thursday 18 June 2020.
COVID-19: Achieving Good Mental Health During Social Isolation
23 June 2020
The ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ is an evidence-based set of practical actions that can be performed daily to enhance wellbeing. They are to: learn, connect, take notice, give and be active. A new paper by Dr Rowan Diamond in the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) group suggests ways in which this framework of actions could be applied during this time of upheaval.
Children Show Increase in Mental Health Difficulties Over COVID-19 Lockdown – Same Pattern Not Seen in Teenagers
22 June 2020
Anxiety COVID-19 Child and adolescent Early intervention Mental Health Psychological therapy
Parents/carers of children aged 4-10 years of age reported that over a one-month period in lockdown, they saw increases in their child’s emotional difficulties, such as feeling unhappy, worried, being clingy and experiencing physical symptoms associated with worry.
Oxford Team to Research Evidence for Mental Health Benefits of Online Cultural Experiences
22 June 2020
A team of Oxford researchers has won a grant from the University’s Covid-19 Research Response Fund to study the effects of online cultural experiences on mental health. This new study will use the unique opportunity of lockdown and social distancing to gather new evidence.
Funded by Wellcome to advance science so no one is held back by mental health problems
8 June 2020
Anxiety Child and adolescent Depression Mental Health Psychological medicine
We are excited to announce that Catherine Harmer, Susannah Murphy and Liliana Capitão are one of a select number of teams funded by Wellcome to review the evidence on which aspects of interventions really make a difference in preventing and treating youth anxiety and depression.
Talking to Children about Illness and Death of a Loved One During the COVID-19 Pandemic
8 June 2020
Anxiety COVID-19 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Depression Early intervention Global child development Mental Health
The news that children could be faced with in the current COVID-19 pandemic may seem almost unspeakable. But, together, we must find words, and ways, to give voice to their experience and prevent millions of children struggling with their fears and uncertainty alone, say authors of a new Comment published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.
Half of UK Parents Uncomfortable with Children Returning to School after COVID-19 Lockdown
3 June 2020
Anxiety COVID-19 Child and adolescent Early intervention Mental Health Psychological therapy
Half of UK parents do not feel comfortable about their children attending school following lockdown, according to early results from a new study asking parents and carers about their children’s mental health through the COVID-19 crisis.
Communication skills teaching innovation praised in national award scheme
29 May 2020
Course Mental Health Psychological medicine
The new teaching package aims to give students greater confidence and experience when consulting with patients who live with psychiatric illness.
The Duke of Westminster donates £1m to Oxford University’s COVID-19 mental health research
29 May 2020
Hugh Grosvenor, The Duke of Westminster, has donated £1m towards Oxford University’s COVID-19 mental health research programmes. This is part of the £10m donation announced by the Westminster Foundation last month to support the national COVID-19 relief effort.
Peer Support Training for Adolescents During the COVID-19 Outbreak
28 May 2020
COVID-19 Child and adolescent Mental Health
Researchers from the Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University, Imperial College London and two third-sector organisations, The McPin Foundation and Youth Era are collaborating to co-design and deliver online peer support training for young people aged 16-18 years old in the UK.