On 17th July Lisa chaired a panel debate on “Wellbeing and Freedom of Expression in a Prevent Culture” to accompany Navine G. Khan-Dossos’s exhibition “There Is No Alternative” at The Showroom in Paddington, London.

The panel members, along with Lisa, were Dr Shazad Amin (CEO of MEND and retired Consultant Psychiatrist), Dr Jonathan Hurlow (Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Birmingham) and Professor Basia Spalek (Visiting Professor of Conflict Management, University of Derby).

The discussion focused on the following three broad issues: (1) impact on the mental health of those having to participate in the strategy, often against their own conscience (GPs, psychiatrists, teachers, social workers, police); (2) impact on the collective mental health of the nation of living under conditions of impaired freedom of expression; (3) impact on gender / race stereotyping and unconscious bias involved in Prevent reporting and counter-terrorism more generally. There was a strong audience presence and interactive discussion.