New service for child, adolescent mental health in Abu Dhabi

The innovative service, set to open in this summer, was welcomed by her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Philip Parham at an event held at his home on Tuesday.

By (Staff Reporter)

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Published: Fri 5 Jun 2015, 12:57 AM

Last updated: Wed 8 Jul 2015, 3:10 PM

Abu Dhabi — A new healthcare service run by the Maudsley Hospital in the UK is to be opened in Abu Dhabi with the aim of improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in the UAE.

The innovative service, set to open in this summer, was welcomed by her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Philip Parham at an event held at his home on Tuesday. It is the first time that a leading institution like Maudsley Hospital is setting up a service based on a model of care which includes a core team of clinicians and support staff permanently based in the country and working alongside visiting doctors and researchers.

According to the WHO, worldwide 10 to 20 per cent of children and adolescents experience mental disorders during their childhood. Half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14 and three-quarters by mid-20s. If untreated, these conditions severely influence children’s development, their educational attainments and their potential to live fulfilling and productive lives.

The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) anticipates that the number of people requiring mental health services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is under reported. Anecdotal evidence suggests potential patients do not seek care because of the social stigma associated with mental illness.

Healthcare professionals have also identified mental health services as one of the top five capacity gaps affecting the Emirate. The Maudsley’s approach will mean that the core team will have access to all the highly specialist child and adolescent mental health services based at the Maudsley Hospital in London, UK. The core team, led by Dr Khaled Kadry, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, will work alongside experts on issues including eating disorders, mood disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodevelopmental difficulties.

The Maudsley has a long history of expertise in mental health and pioneering new treatment. When Henry Maudsley founded the hospital in the early 1900s he had three principles: to try to get people better, rather than simply removing them from society; the need for research into finding new and better treatments; and  training for people delivering care. Our core team in Abu Dhabi will ensure that all three of these principles are followed, supported by colleagues in London.

Dr Matthew Patrick, Chief Executive South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust said: “We want to create a service in Abu Dhabi where we can apply our specialist and research experience as well as the expertise we have developed treating our diverse local population in south London to improve the lives of children in UAE. I extend thanks to UK Trade and Investment for supporting this important venture.”

HAAD Director-General, Professor Maha Barakat said: “I am pleased to see The Maudsley new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service from the UK launch in Abu Dhabi. Mental health is one of our key priority areas and this service will be a great complement to our existing mental health services in ensuring that young people in Abu Dhabi have a foundation of healthy development enabling them to reach their full potential.”
       

 - reporters@khaleejtimes.com


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