Bringing together experts in mental health across London and India to improve South Asian mental healthcare
Ambitious discussions between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), and The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) have begun to revitalise a long-standing, collaborative relationship.
NIMHANS, located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, is India’s leading mental health and neuroscience institution and is recognised as an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
The integrated approach at NIMHANS combines patient care, research, education, community outreach, and policy development—enabling it to play a pivotal role in advancing mental healthcare and understanding both nationally and internationally.
Interviews with Prof Derek Tracy and Dr Sridevi Sira Mahalingappa
Speaking on the importance of this renewed partnership, Prof Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer at SLaM, highlighted the shared history and future goals of both institutions.
He said: “Our institutions not only share long and storied histories, evolving from asylums to become the forefront of their nations’ clinical and academic practice, but we also have so much joint history, and so many people have worked across both organisations. I can think of no better metaphor for this than the Chair of eminent psychiatrist William Meyer-Gross, which sits in the office of the Dean of the IoPPN, with Meyer-Gross’s desk held at NIMHANs. I am excited about future joint plans with our colleagues in India”
We also spoke with Dr Sridevi Sira Mahalingappa, Consultant Psychiatrist at SLaM, NIMHANS alumna, and former President of the British Indian Psychiatric Association (2004–2006), about the practical potential of this cross-institutional work.
She said: "Following the recent visit, we want to build up more research collaborations to better understand mental health within South Asian populations."
She also shared that NIMHANS historically drew considerable inspiration from SLaM across multiple areas—ranging from clinical training and patient care models to the structural design and atmosphere of its buildings.
Census data suggests that over 20% of the London population is South Asian, highlighting the need for culturally appropriate support within mental healthcare. This is something that Sridevi feels can be addressed with this collaborative approach.
Sridevi said: "We want to see how we can learn from each other’s cultures to expand care for the patients we treat, both here in the UK and in India. Some of the models we have developed in the UK can be culturally adapted for India to bridge gaps in care. In return, we can utilise the rich insights and data NIMHANS possesses regarding culturally informed practices in South Asia."
Expanding Global Collaboration
Recent efforts to strengthen ties have included joint Grand Round sessions and meetings between the organisations, with a visit by the NIMHANs team to the IoPPN, and a joint NIMHANs-SLAM presentation at this year’s Royal College of Psychiatrist’s international congress in Liverpool.
Future Outlook
There are plans in place to establish formal avenues for future collaboration as SLaM, NIMHANS, and IoPPN continue to meet. The primary focus moving forward centres on:
Sharing Best Clinical Practices: Developing culturally adaptive care strategies tailored to global patient demographics.
Training Exchanges: Creating opportunities for clinical and academic workforce development between London and Bengaluru.
Joint Research Initiatives: Combining data and insights to address mental health inequalities in South Asian populations worldwide.