UEL professor to speak at Stormont

Professor John Read is to headline two thought-provoking events in Northern Ireland in March, as part of his campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

As part of the New Script for Mental Health conversation series, Professor Read from the University of East London’s School of Psychology, will engage in a discussion at the Long Gallery, at Stormont, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly. The event is sponsored by Ms Órlaithí Flynn MLA, Chair of the Assembly’s All-Party Group on Suicide Prevention.

The event - titled "Are Diagnosis and Drugs the Answer to Human Distress?" - will delve into the question of whether conventional diagnostic approaches and pharmaceutical interventions provide a comprehensive solution to human distress.

On the following day, March 7, Professor Read will visit Queen's University Belfast for the second event in the series. The discussion - titled "Does Electroconvulsive Therapy Have a Place in 21st Century Evidence-Based Medicine?" - will explore the findings of recent research.

Joining him will be Lisa Morrison, who will provide a first-hand account of her experiences with ECT. The duo co-authored a paper last year highlighting that patient information leaflets in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales currently fall short of complying with the ethical principle of informed consent. 

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