Maudsley Debates
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Enabling or Labelling?
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This House believes that psychiatric diagnosis has advanced the care of people with mental health problems.
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Wednesday 5th June, 6pm (refreshments served from 5.30pm)
To coincide with the publication of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), sometimes described as the "Bible" of American psychiatry, the Institute of Psychiatry is hosting a debate on the issue of psychiatric diagnosis. Some argue that a rigorously standardised system of classification of mental disorders forms an essential role in conceptualising a patient's problem, in predicting what treatments are likely to be effective, and in conducting valid scientific research. Others consider psychiatric diagnoses to be no more than labels, which lack scientific and predictive validity and serve only to stigmatise and objectify those who suffer from mental disorders. These issues will be debated in the 48th Maudsley Debate on Wednesday 5 June at 6pm at the Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill. The motion is "This House believes that psychiatric diagnosis has advanced the care of people with mental health problems."
Speaking for the motion
Prof Norman Sartorius, former president of the World Psychiatric Association
Prof Anthony David, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry
Speaking against the motion:
Dr Felicity Callard, Senior Lecturer in Social Science for Medical Humanities, Durham University
Dr Pat Bracken, Clinical Director of Mental Health in West Cork and author of "Post- Psychiatry: Mental Health in a Post-Modern World".
Chair: Sir Simon Wessely, Professor of Psychological Medicine and Vice Dean for Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry
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Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Institute of Psychiatry Main Building, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF
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Contact: Hannah Baker
How to get there:
Map of campus is here
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History of Maudsley Debate
The Maudsley Debates have been held at the IoP since 2000. There are three debates a year. They are all open to the public, and are well attended by service users, carers, professionals and journalists and members of the public. Topics generally focus on issues that have a direct impact on mental health services, service users and mental health professionals. Recent topics have included the role of the private sector in mental health services, the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on psychiatry, the importance of inpatient beds and putative links between creativity and mental illness.
Speakers at the Debates have included Germaine Greer, Lord David Owen, mental health tsar Louis Appleby, journalist Ben Goldacre, Baroness Mary Warnock and many others.
The Maudsley Debates are now published in the British Medical Journal the week prior to each debate. They are recorded and broadcast on the IoP website, and past debates dating back to 2000 are also available as podcasts. You can listen here.
Events Contact
Watch this space for more news of the Maudsley debates.
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Previous Maudsley Debates
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This house believes that the emphasis on risk in psychiatry serves the interests of neither the patients nor the public
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Tuesday 19th February2013
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The podcast is now available
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Mental health professionals frequently make predictions about the risks of harm posed by patients to themselves and others, and attempt to reduce these, often by enforcing treatment and admission to hospital.
The concept of risk has gained increasing prominence from high profile failures of care, with publicity in the media further highlighting harms caused by those with mental illness. More broadly, in all areas of medicine and indeed society, individuals and institutions are increasingly being held accountable for adverse outcomes, further driving the risk agenda.
Reducing harm is an intuitive and desirable goal. Is a focus on risk an effective way of reducing harm? Are we able to predict risks with any degree of accuracy? And do our attempts to reduce risk cause harm in themselves, and distract from other aspects of care?
The Risk Debate brings together a distinguished panel of experts together with audience participation to generate a stimulating discussion on an important and but neglected topic, which is not to be missed.
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Speakers
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For: Dr Matthew Large, University of New South Wales, Sydney
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Professor George Szmukler, Institute of Psychiatry
Against: Professor John Morgan, Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Professor Tom Fahy, Institute of Psychiatry
Chair: Dr Gwen Adshead, Broadmoor Hospital