Professor Derek Tracy

Professor Derek Tracy is the Chief Medical Officer at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, and Honorary Professor at Brunel Medical School. He trained in psychiatry at SLaM and has spent over 25 years working across South London mental health services. Prior to returning to SLaM, he served as Chief Medical Officer at West London NHS Trust. He is also Deputy Chair of the Cavendish Square Group of London Mental Health Chief Medical Officers.

Professor Tracy completed his PhD at King's College London, exploring the policy, cultural, and professional factors influencing integrated care systems. His research interests include integrated care, psychosis, quality improvement, clinical effectiveness, and new psychoactive substances. He has published more than 140 peer-reviewed papers and 20 book chapters, including editing the UK's leading textbook on the coroner's court. He is also a member of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and serves as Deputy Editor of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Alongside his research, Derek is an award-winning medical educator and clinical leader. He received the King's College London Teaching Excellence Award (2015) and played a key leadership role in establishing the mental health service at the London Nightingale Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognised with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Team of the Year Award (2021). His other honours include the RCPsych Communicator of the Year Award (2019) and the prestigious Royal College of Psychiatrists' President's Medal (2024). He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal Society of Arts, the Higher Education Academy, and the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management.