Dr. Claire Henderson

Dr. Claire Henderson, PhD, FRCPsych is a distinguished Clinical Professor of Public Mental Health and the Director of the Centre for Implementation Science at the Health Service and Population Research Department within the King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Concurrently, she holds the position of Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

As a prominent figure in the field, Dr. Henderson has made significant contributions to mental health research, particularly focusing on the disempowerment of individuals grappling with mental illness and the associated challenges of stigma and discrimination. Her extensive portfolio includes leadership and collaboration on four pivotal studies, each delving into the effectiveness and implementation of advance statements in mental health care.

Notably, the first two studies directly contributed to the recommendations on Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) in the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 2018. This influential work has subsequently informed evidence presented to the parliamentary scrutiny committee on the new mental health bill. Dr. Henderson's expertise also played a crucial role in the initiatives undertaken by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) concerning the potential cost effectiveness of introducing ACDs.

In addition to her research, Dr. Henderson's commitment extends to exploring service interventions that empower individuals with mental illness. Her investigations encompass interventions promoting shared decision-making between service users and clinicians, such as advance statements. She also evaluates the impact of initiatives like Recovery Colleges, designed to facilitate illness self-management, and decision aids aimed at assisting users in making challenging decisions.

Beyond her academic and clinical roles, Dr. Claire Henderson stands out as a leading advocate for public mental health interventions. Her research initiatives aim to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination, while simultaneously encouraging self-management and promoting help-seeking behaviors for mental health issues.