Every year, SPMHS holds the Founder's Day conference to recognise and continue the legacy of our founder, Jonathan Swift, a pioneer in mental healthcare.

This year’s Founder’s Day conference is a half-day event starting at 9.10am and will explore the theme of Mental Health, Human Rights and the Law. It will focus on national mental health legislation and related developments, and the broader human rights context.

What topics will be discussed at the conference?

Topics that the conference will address include:

• the proposed reform of the Mental Health Act 2001 and its significance for service providers, healthcare professionals, service users, their families and supporters, and other key stakeholders
• progress on the implementation of the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act and its relevance to the rights of people experiencing mental health difficulties
• understanding the role and importance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) from a mental health perspective.

The conference aims to share expert knowledge in these areas by bringing together varied perspectives, such as:

• legal and academic expertise
• mental healthcare professionals
• service user and carer representatives
• regulatory and advocacy bodies.

Who will be speaking at the conference?

We are delighted to announce that Mary Butler TD, Minister for Mental Health and Older People, will deliver an address at the conference. Our keynote speaker will be Gareth Owen, Reader in Mental Health, Ethics and Law, King’s College London/Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London Maudsley NHS Foundation. We will also be joined by:

• Fiona Coyle, Chief Executive, Mental Health Reform
• John Farrelly, Chief Executive, Mental Health Commission
• Áine Flynn, Director of the Decision Support Service
• Eilionóir Flynn, Established Chair in Law and Director of the Centre for Disability Law and Policy, National University of Ireland, Galway
• Áine Hynes, Partner Solicitor at St John’s Solicitors Dublin
• Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and Consultant Psychiatrist at Tallaght University Hospital
• Michael Ryan, Head of Mental Health Engagement and Recovery and member of the National Mental Health service, HSE
• Sushil Teji, family member and carer, a volunteer with HSE Mental Health Engagement and Recovery and Board member for Mental Health Ireland
• Dr William Flannery, President of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
• Dr Mike Scully, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chair of the Law Committee, College of Psychiatrists of Ireland.

Will this event be recognised for Continuing Professional Development?

Founder's Day holds an important space in the Irish Continual Professional Development (CPD) calendar, with four CPD points available from the Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP). The CPD points available from the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) will be confirmed shortly. Please note, external CPD credits approved by the ICGP are automatically recognised by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland (CPI). If your organisation is not listed above, please email us to request a general attendance certificate.

How can I attend?

This event is free to attend, and is taking place online through Zoom.

Registration is essential. A link to join the online event will be sent to everyone who registers ahead of its scheduled time.

For anybody with accessibility requirements, you can turn on closed captions by clicking on the live transcript function in your Zoom window.

For more information, or if you have queries about accessibility for this event, please visit our website, email communications@stpatsmail.com, or call +353 1 249 3540.

You can learn more about our founder Jonathan Swift on our YouTube channel, and look back at last year’s conference on our website.