Queen Mary University of London and partners were honoured to welcome Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine and key stakeholders from the UK and Ukraine for a roundtable discussion on how to address the complex mental health needs of young people, particularly those affected by war.
The roundtable, held on Friday 1 March, was organised by Professor Dennis Ougrin of Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Ukrainian Embassy and East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), where he is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
It brought together leading policymakers and experts in mental health from academia, clinical practice, national health services and charities in the UK and Ukraine. In attendance was Health Minister, Lord Markham; Royal College of Psychiatrists President, Dr Lade Smith; VP Health at Queen Mary, Professor Sir Mark Caulfield; and ELFT Chief Executive, Lorraine Sunduza. Participants from Ukraine, including the Minister of Health, Viktor Liashko and other Ministers, joined the roundtable online.
The purpose of the roundtable was to share knowledge, best practice and innovative approaches to caring for young people with mental health needs, with the overall aim of supporting the development of clinical services in Ukraine post-war – particularly those that help children deal with trauma – and to facilitate the training of mental health professionals to meet the demand for services.
Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine, said:
"Unfortunately, Ukraine has been living under extreme conditions for two years of invasion and has already gained extensive practical knowledge in dealing with mental health: 90% of our people have a high or very high level of stress. This applies not only to defenders but also to civilians who experience stress daily due to shelling and the constant awareness of the possibility of death, but mental health is not only our local challenge but also a global one and the response to it must be joint and comprehensive."
As part of her visit, the First Lady took a tour of Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health at the East London NHS Foundation Trust to see how best practice in mental healthcare for young people is implemented in a clinical setting. She then met with clinicians to discuss how Centre’s approach can aid in post-war mental health recovery in Ukraine.
Professor Dennis Ougrin, Co-Director of Queen Mary’s Youth Resilience Unit (YRU) based at ELFT, graduated from medical school in Ukraine before coming to the UK. He now leads a programme of global mental health studies aimed at developing community mental health services in Ukraine and other low- and middle-income countries. He said:
“Developing community mental health services for young people is a strategic priority for both Ukraine and the UK. Ukraine has gained valuable experience of developing trauma-focused clinical services for young people who continue to experience the effects of the war. This experience will shape the response to future wars globally.”
We were honoured to welcome the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, to the roundtable. Mrs Zelenska is a vocal advocate for mental health care for Ukrainians, an increasing issue for Ukrainians who face the backdrop of war in their daily lives. She created the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program to help tackle stigma and improve access mental health services for Ukrainians.
Last year, the Third Summit of First Ladies and Gentleman – an initiative which she founded in 2021 – commissioned a global survey on mental health. The research findings have since been implemented in the framework of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program as part of its How are you? campaign.
The First Lady shared the findings of the survey with the roundtable participants before the discussion. She said that the mental healthcare is a global concern for all people, but that young people are especially important. Decision-makers have a responsibility to create policy to support young people now for a better future.
"If young people feel security and confidence instead of anxiety and stress now, it will impact the world's future. After all, the younger generation is the one who will lead in a few years. And this is our most valuable investment in the future," said the First Lady.
Health Minister, Lord Markham, said:
“It was a privilege and an honour to join First Lady Zelenska on her visit at Coborn Centre for Adolescent Mental Health, and to take part in an invaluable discussion on the mental health needs of children and young people.
“We remain committed in our unwavering support for Ukraine. We recognise the desperate need to rebuild the Ukrainian healthcare system.
“As part of this, it is essential to develop mental health services and support for children and young people dealing with trauma and other mental health issues as a result of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.”
Lorraine Sunduza, Chief Executive of the ELFT, said:
"It's a great honour to host Mrs Zelenska and be part of helping Ukraine to tackle the many challenges it faces due to the war, especially for children traumatised by its horrors and the loss of loved ones. It was a privilege to hear about the innovation happening under such challenging circumstances. We hope our relationship with Ukrainian colleagues will be ongoing and that we can learn from each other as our work together continues."
Since the war broke out in Ukraine, Queen Mary and Barts Health NHS Trust have partnered with Odessa National Medical University in Ukraine to offer clinical experience to Ukrainian medical students affected by the war.
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