Academy of Medical Sciences/MQ joint workshop on ‘Progress and priorities for mental health sciences research since COVID-19’

In April 2020 the Academy and MQ convened 24 mental health and neuroscience experts to develop a position paper for publication in The Lancet Psychiatry, ‘Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science’. The publication identified the immediate and longer-term priorities for mental health sciences research in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and considered vulnerable groups in need of particular attention.

Evidence indicates that there has been a substantial worsening of mental health in certain groups since March last year. One year on from the initial COVID-19 surge in the UK, there is an opportunity to assess the progress made in mental health and brain sciences research and identify priorities for the mental health sciences community to collectively address.

This 3-hour virtual meeting convened experts from across the mental health sciences community, including funders, researchers, and people with lived experience. Specifically, the meeting aimed to:

• Discuss the progress that has been made in mental health and brain sciences research since the start of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Identify any gaps for mental health and brain sciences research.
• Discuss how the mental health sciences community works together to address the identified gaps at pace.

The meeting was co-chaired by Professor Ed Bullmore FMedSci, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge and Professor Emily Holmes, Professor in Clinical Psychology, Uppsala University.