About this event

  • Date and time Tue 8 Jun 2021 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm
  • Location Online

Discover the role of health professionals in the climate change emergency.

This seventh episode of the Health emergency of climate change series will explore the psychological impacts of climate change on mental health and well-being, as well as providing health professionals with the tools and tips needed to respond. 

Join specialist speaker Ashlee Consolo to discuss the ecological grief and impact of climate change on indigenous communities, and Dr Lisa Page as she gives expert information on how climate change adversely affects mental health.

The climatic changes, which bring events like flooding that cause immediate danger of injury or death, are inherently linked to our mental health. The psychological ramifications are increasing around the world. This episode will explore the impact on pre-existing mental health conditions which are being intensified by climate change, and how the risk and reality of extreme change in the weather contribute to the development of mental health problems. We will also be focusing on what healthcare professionals can do to change clinical pathways and adapt practices to help reduce the strain on health systems and underfunded services. 

The webinar will be chaired by Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Langdon Hospital in Dawlish, Devon. Our specialist speakers include Ashlee Cunsolo, Founding Dean, School of Arctic & Subarctic studies, Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Canada Research Chair & Professor, Researcher and Environmental Advocate, Royal Society of Canada College member, Founding Member, Women for Nature, Dr Lisa Page, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Honorary Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist & Medical Research Lead, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Registrar for Sustainability, Royal College of Psychiatrists, and Elizabeth Wathuti, Fourth Recipient of Wangari Maathai Scholarship Award, Environmentalist and Climate Activist, Founder, Green Generation Initiative.

During this webinar speakers will:

  • Describe the impact that climate change is having on mental health 
  • Offer an overview of some of the challenges that climate change causes for those suffering from mental health problems  
  • Detail what positive interventions and solutions can be put in place to improve the mental health of current and future generations. 

View our climate change resources page to learn more or book onto the next episode of the series here. 

In this 10-part Health emergency of climate change series, experts from across the health community will unite to address the impact that climate change is having on human health. By positioning health and wellbeing at the centre of the climate change discussion, the Royal Society of Medicine will give healthcare professionals the opportunity to understand the links between climate change and health and recognise how they can help combat climate change and its effects.

Do you have a question for our panelists? If so, please submit your questions here and they will be answered during the webinar.

Book onto the next episode - Tuesday 22 June 2021

We would like to thank Michael Rapp for his generous support enabling free access to this webinar series.

Registration for this webinar will close 2 hours prior to the start time. Late registrations will not be accepted.

Join in the conversation online using #RSMClimateChange
Follow us on Twitter: @RoySocMed

Key speakers

Dr Adrian James

Dr Adrian James

President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Langdon Hospital in Dawlish, Devon

Speaker's biography
Adrian was elected President in 2020. He holds this role until 2023 and leads the RCPsych on behalf of its members and associates.

Adrian is Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Langdon Hospital in Dawlish, Devon. He is a former Medical Director of Devon Partnership NHS Trust and founding Chair of the School of Psychiatry at the Peninsular Deanery (2006-2008).

He was the elected Chair of the South West Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2007-2011) and sat on the College Council in this capacity. In 2010 he was appointed Chair of the Westminster Parliamentary Liaison Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (attending the three main Party Conferences 2011-14 in this capacity).

He was Clinical Director for Mental Health, Dementia and Neurology, working for NHS England South West (2013-2015, interim from 2012-13). He has also acted as a Reviewer and Clinical Expert for the Healthcare Commission and its successor organisation the Care Quality Commission.

He has chaired expert review groups on Integrated Care Systems, Cannabis, Prevent and Learning from Deaths. In addition, he set up the Quality Improvement Committee and the Workforce Wellbeing Committee at the College.
His priorities as President are establishing a pathway to parity for mental health services, equality and diversity, sustainability and workforce wellbeing.

Adrian is a keen cyclist - road and hybrid in Devon and Brompton in London. Adrian has completed three Étape du Tours (an event for amateur cyclists covering the same route as a Tour de France stage). Adrian and his wife, Sarah are on their third tandem.

Dr Lisa Page

Clinical Senior Lecturer, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Honorary Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist & Medical Research Lead, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Registrar for Sustainability, Royal College of Psychiatrists

Ashlee Consolo

Ashlee Cunsolo

Founding Dean, School of Arctic & Subarctic studies, Labrador Institute of Memorial University, Canada research Chair & Professor 2013-2016, Researcher and Environmental Advocate, Royal Society of Canada College member, Founding Member, Women for Nature

Speaker's biography

Ashlee Cunsolo, PhD, is the founding Dean of the School of Arctic and Subarctic Studies of the Labrador Institute of Memorial University, a former Canada Research Chair (Tier II), and a member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. She is a leading voice nationally and internationally on climate change and mental health and ecological grief, and has written numerous articles on the topics, and an edited book, Mourning Nature: Hope at the Heart of Ecological Loss and Grief. Ashlee is a regular media contributor on climate change, mental health, and ecological grief, and is a contributing author to the IPCC AR6 North America Chapter and Cross Chapter Paper 6 Polar Regions, a Lead Author on Chapters in the Natural Resources Canada and the Health Canada Climate Change Assessment Reports, and a Commissioner for the Lancet Commission on Arctic Health.

Elizabeth Wathuti

Fourth Recipient of Wangari Maathai Scholarship Award, Environmentalist and Climate Activist, Founder, Green Generation Initiative

Agenda

View the programme 08 June 2021

Welcome and introduction

Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Overview of the adverse effects that climate change has on mental health

Dr Lisa Page, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Honorary Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist & Medical Research Lead, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Registrar for Sustainability, Royal College of Psychiatrists

Ecological grief - Impacts on the Indigenous

Ashlee Cunsolo, Founding Dean, School of Arctic & Subarctic studies, Canada research Chair and Professor, Women for Nature founding member

Climate anxiety

Elizabeth Wathuti, Fourth Recipient of Wangari Maathai Scholarship Award, Environmentalist and Climate Activist, Founder, Green Generation Initiative

Q & A

Panel session

Closing remarks

Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Location

Online

More from this series:

CEP35 Promo
Free Public Webinar CPD

Damaging diets and dangerous water - Episode 5

This fifth episode of the Health emergency of climate change series will explore climate change’s effect on our food and water, and the impact that human consumption is having on the planet.

This episode will look at food and water-related diseases which are aggravated by climate change, how the food we eat contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, and what health professionals can do to promote good health and protect our planet.

  • Price Free
CEP36 Promo
Free Public Webinar CPD

The unborn child and children’s health - Episode 6

This sixth episode of the Health emergency of climate change series will explore climate change’s impact on the unborn child and children’s health. The episode will look at how factors including extreme heat exposure and air pollution are impacting pregnant women and pregnancy outcomes, along with neonatal health and development.

  • Price Free
CEP38 Promo
Free Public Webinar CPD

Building a greener health system - Episode 8

This eighth episode of the Health emergency of climate change series will explore the impact that healthcare systems have on climate change, both in the UK and across the world, and discuss what clinicians can do to help. Join us on this important webinar to understand the scale of the challenge ahead. Leading experts will join chair Dr Nick Watts, Chief Sustainability Officer of the NHS, to evaluate what the NHS and other healthcare systems across the world are doing, and can do in the future, to help mitigate climate change.

  • Price Free

Disclaimer: All views expressed in this webinar are of the speakers themselves and not of the RSM nor the speaker's organisations. 

The Royal Society of Medicine needs your support  
The RSM is offering this webinar at no charge to delegates, in order to help healthcare professionals to easily access COVID-19 related education material & resources during the pandemic.  However, we are asking people to support the RSM in these unprecedented times.  Now more than ever, as a charity we need your help to continue our work and mission in advancing healthcare through innovation and education. Please consider  making a donation  for joining this free webinar. Thank you for your generosity. 

This webinar will be recorded and stored by the Royal Society of Medicine and may be distributed in future on various internet channels.  

 

Man searching computer

Join the RSM and get free access to digital learning resources

The RSM has an extensive digital learning and online e-resources platform. As a member you'll enjoy free access to a wealth of online  resources, including 4,000 subscription and open access e-journals, 4,200 e-books and 6 key medical databases, to support your clinical decision-making and research.

Become a member