Registration open - Thematic lecture 2026 to focus on mental health risks, prevention, treatment and care
Published September 17, 2026
Registration open - Thematic lecture 2026 to focus on mental health risks, prevention, treatment and care
Published September 17, 2026
Registration is now open for the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s annual thematic lecture, which will be held on 29 October 2026 in the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Malta. This year’s theme is “Mental health risks and concerns: strategic goals and best practices for prevention, treatment and care”.
The event will be hosted by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, who will deliver a keynote address and take an active role in the discussion with the speakers and participants. The annual thematic lecture forms part of the Office’s efforts to provide a high level forum in Parliament where issues of public interest can be examined through expert knowledge, international experience and the perspective of independent oversight.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon. Carmelo Abela, will preside over the event and will also address those present.
This year’s lecture will bring together leading experts in psychiatry, primary care, mental health policy and service development. The discussion will consider prevention and early intervention, the treatment and care of persons with serious mental illness, modern service frameworks, learning from serious incidents, public awareness and stigma, and the importance of placing mental health on an equal footing with physical health.
The event will also provide an opportunity to consider the wider role of public institutions, healthcare professionals, families and society in creating an environment where people feel able to recognise mental health difficulties, seek support at an early stage and access appropriate care.
The keynote speakers
Professor Dame Clare Gerada DBE is a leading family doctor and mental health advocate with extensive experience in primary care and practitioner wellbeing. She founded NHS Practitioner Health, a confidential service supporting doctors and other healthcare professionals experiencing mental health and related difficulties, and chairs Doctors in Distress. She is also a former President of the Royal College of General Practitioners. Her work has focused on access to support, reducing stigma and recognising the particular pressures faced by healthcare professionals.
Dr Adrian James is Medical Director for Mental Health and Neurodiversity at NHS England and a former President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. His career has focused on mental health policy, service improvement, workforce wellbeing and equality in healthcare. During the Covid 19 pandemic, he led work highlighting the risks faced by persons with serious mental illness and learning disabilities. A central theme of his work has been parity of esteem, placing mental health on an equal footing with physical health.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely GBE FRS is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King’s College London and a psychiatrist and epidemiologist with extensive experience in psychological medicine and mental health research. His work has covered epidemiology, military health, unexplained symptoms and syndromes, clinical trials, and how people and populations respond to adversity. He has also contributed extensively to mental health policy and interdisciplinary research involving medicine, law, history and the social sciences.
Other contributions
Professor Anton Grech, Clinical Chairman of Mental Health Services Malta and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, will also deliver a keynote contribution, bringing a national clinical perspective to the discussion and reflecting on current developments and challenges in mental health care.
Professor Raymond Galea, Commissioner for Health within the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, will contribute from the perspective of the Office’s health oversight function, including standards of care, patients’ rights and the role of independent scrutiny in strengthening public health services. He will also join the Parliamentary Ombudsman in moderating the discussion with the speakers and audience.
The thematic lecture is intended to encourage informed discussion on how mental health challenges can be addressed through prevention, timely support, appropriate treatment, continuity of care and policies informed by evidence and experience.
Registration is open
Attendance is by registration only. Persons wishing to attend the thematic lecture may register through the link below:
The full programme for the thematic lecture is also available below.
