We invite renowned national experts to give talks on topical issues.
“I love the work you do: always relevant and timely topics.”
Kathleen Fraser-Jackson, Programme Manager, Chalkhill Community Action
The lectures are open to our staff, service users and partners – plus anyone who’s interested and would like to join us.
The events include time for questions and discussion.
Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear about upcoming lectures and events.
Forthcoming lectures
We have lots more lectures planned for 2024, check here for updates in the new year.
Previous lectures
20 February, 10 -11am
SpeakUp February: OCD, a discussion
For February’s lecture we were joined by Mairéad, a lived experience speaker, facilitator and producer. Having worked at The Advocacy Project as User Voice Participation Lead, we were delighted that Mairéad hosted our February lecture as an OCD Action representative. In this lecture, Mairéad explained, from a lived experience perspective, what OCD is and how it works. The talk covered the recommended treatments for OCD and related disorders (body dysmorphic disorder and body-focused repetitive behaviours), barriers to accessing help and how we can support people living with OCD.
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12 December, 10 – 11am
SpeakUp December: Dialogue+
We were delighted to welcome Selina Aktar to host this December lecture. Selina is a DIALOG+ Lived Experience Facilitator/Champion in North London Mental health Partnership. She is aware of how care and support through NHS Mental Health Pathways can feel inconsistent and difficult to navigate. Since 1 June 2023, the Partnership has been rolling out a DIALOG+ care planning tool which is replacing the Care Plan Approach care plan. The hope is DIALOG+ will offer Safety, trustworthiness, collaboration ,choice, empowerment and cultural consideration.
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28 November, 6-7pm
Healthier futures: Q&A with Professor Dame Carol Black
On 28th November we were joined by Professor Dame Carol Black DBE to answer questions about her long career in health and politics. With expertise spanning better aging, health within the workplace, tackling drug addiction and much more, this was a fascinating opportunity to learn about some of the biggest health issues that affect our daily lives and contribute to widening health inequalities.
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2 November, 6-7pm
Raising the voice of our unpaid carers
An opportunity to hear from a range of experts about the issues surrounding affecting unpaid carers when their loved ones are discharged from hospital. We welcomed a range of speakers including those with lived experience as well as people with knowledge from their professional careers.
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26 September, 6-7pm
How can we have equal cancer care?
Professor Patricia Price joined us to take a frank look at current cancer targets, while also sharing practical information about how to navigate services and look after your own health.
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10 October, 10-11am
SpeakUp October: Hoarding behaviour and Support
Listen to expert speaker Megan Karnes from Hoarding UK as she discusses hoarding – what it is, what support models exist, and what needs to change.
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30 August, 6-7pm
Making a global impact in midwifery
For our August event, we were delighted to welcome Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE for a Q&A exploring her journey, and the work that she’s done firstly as NHS England’s Chief Midwifery Officer and now as the first Chief Midwife for the International Confederation of Midwives.
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26 July, 6-7pm
Transforming our hospitals: cardiology care in North West London
What if patients could spend less time in hospital but still get close attention from clinicians? This is the vision of virtual wards, which allow people to return home from hospital more quickly while still receiving specialist, personalised care. Find out how they’re already being used to transform cardiology care in North West London
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27 June
Leading the fight against sickle-cell disease
As the UK’s first sickle-cell and thalassemia nurse specialist, Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu knows what it takes to be on the frontline of healthcare. Watch our interview with her to find out more about her fight to get sickle-cell treatment the attention it deserved.
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25 May
Prostate Cancer: Speak up, get support and boost survival rates
1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. And for black men, the risk is even higher, with 1 in 4 receiving a diagnosis at some point in their life. So if it’s such a common issue, why aren’t more of us talking about it?
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25 April
How to prevent, treat and recover from stroke
April’s Healthy Communities lecture featured two experts from the Stroke Association, Chief Executive Juliet Bouverie and Associate Director for London Michelle Dalmacio, alongside Brent GP/Borough Medical Director Dr Mohamed Haider.
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11 April
Speak Up daytime discussion: Tackling harms from gaming and gambling
Our April speaker was Phil Tran, a Mindful Resilience Trainer at Ygam.
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29 March
Covid recovery: what next for our NHS?
Dr Dan Goyal, NHS medical consultant, Covid doctor and academic, joined us on 29 March together with representatives from Brent Council.
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14 March
Speak Up daytime discussion series: How can we fight the cost-of-living crisis?
Paul Morrison, Trustee at The Trussell Trust, joined us for our March Speak Up lecture.
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2 March
Challenging the myths: what does it mean to live well with HIV?
Dr Laura Waters, Chair of the British HIV Association and HIV Treatment Advisor at NHS England joined us as Key Speaker. We also paid tribute to Chris Sandford, who dedicated his life to helping others with HIV before sadly passing away last year.
– see the video – get the slides
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1 February
Tackling inequalities in diabetes care: in-person health equalities event
With Salma Mehar, consultant dietitian in North West London and Dr Ethie Kong, GP and former chair of NHS Brent. In collaboration with Brent Health Matters.
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10 January 2023
Speak up daytime discussion: how can we combat modern slavery?
Charlotte Jamieson, Modern Slavery and Exploitation Coordinator for Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, joined our January Speak Up lecture.
– see the video – get the slides
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6 December 2022
Speak up daytime discussion: getting co-production right
Pete Fleischmann brought his expertise in co-production and participation.
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26 October 2022
Making the final months count: how can we improve end of life care?
Professor Bee Wee CBE, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care for NHS England and Dr Lyndsey Williams, NW London GP Clinical Lead for End of Life and Care Homes joined us at this October lecture.
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27 September 2022
Standing together against cancer
With Speaker Dame Cally Palmer, National Cancer Director for the NHS.
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13 September 2022
Speak up daytime discussion: putting patients at the heart of healthcare
Jenny Clark, Deputy Head of Engagement and Sustainability at Healthwatch England joined us for our September Speak Up lecture.
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30 August 2022
Can we have a GP system that works for everyone?
Dr Chaand Nagpaul CBE – a London GP, former chair of the BMA Council and current chair of the BMA Racial & Ethnic Equality Forum – joined us for our August lecture.
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27 July 2022
How can we avoid adult mental health crisis?
Claire Murdoch CBE brought her experience as national director for mental health, as well as insights from her experience as Chief Executive of the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. She was joined by Dr Gareth Jarvis.
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28 June 2022
The pathway to preventing Type 2 diabetes
Professor Jonathan Valabhji OBE, National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity at NHS England & Improvement, joined our June lecture.
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31 May 2022
A safer route into adulthood: introducing transitional safeguarding
Dez Holmes joined us on 31 May to introduce the concept.
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26 April 2022
Hidden addictions: the problem with gambling
With Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, Director, National Centre for Behavioural Addictions and pupils from Newman Catholic College.
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30 March 2022
Breaking taboos: talking about men and women’s health
Chaired by Cllr Ketan Sheth, with expert speakers:
Dr Jyoti Shah, Consultant Urological Surgeon
Dr Khyati Bakhai, GP, Bromley-by-Bow
Ade Odunlade, COO, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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23 February 2022
Putting health on the menu: how food equality leads to health equality
Food equality: what we can do to help address the barriers that prevent people from accessing healthier food? Chaired by Cllr Ketan Sheth, with expert speakers:
Dr Lander Bosch, Geographer of Health at The World Bank
Dr Ethie Kong, GP
Rajesh Makwana BEM, Director at Sufra
Danny Coyle, Head Teacher at Newman Catholic College
Salma Maher, Consultant Dietitian
– see the video – hear the audio
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25 January 2022
Prioritising children’s mental health: what can we do?
Part of our new series of monthly lectures about building better health equalities, run in collaboration with Cllr Ketan Sheth, chair of Brent Council’s Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee.
Panel discussion with:
Prof JS Bamrah, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Joan St John, Clinical Diabetes Lead GP
Georgina Nutton, Headteacher, Preston Park Primary School
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29 March 2021
Problematic gambling: losing more than just money
Panel discussion with Annette Denby and Gracia Talabi (GamCare) and Becky Harris (CNWL).
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21 January 2021
Covid, inequality and hope: what we can learn from one borough’s story
Panel discussion with:
Cllr Ketan Sheth, Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Brent Council
Professor Mala Rao OBE, Senior Clinical Fellow at Imperial College
Georgina Nutton, Headteacher at Preston Park Primary School
Shyama Perera, writer, broadcaster, Chair of SADAA
Judith Davey, CEO, The Advocacy Project
Dr Ethie Kong, Brent resident and GP
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19 November 2020
What now for safeguarding in our ‘new normal’ world?
Panel discussion with:
Dr Adi Cooper, Independent Chair of two Safeguarding Adults Boards in London
Professor Michael Preston-Shoot, Professor (Emeritus) of Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire
– see the video – hear the audio – see Adi Cooper’s slides – see Michael Preston-Shoot’s slides
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16 November
When a home becomes a drugs base: what to do about cuckooing
Panel discussion with Chloe Higginson & Louise Butler
– listen to the talk & discussion – see the slides
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24 September 2020
Reducing health inequalities for Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic communities
Panel discussion with Cllr Ketan Sheth, Dr Dele Olajide, Shaama Saggar-Malik, Charlotte Bailey
– see the video – hear the audio – see Charlotte Bailey’s slides – read Ketan Sheth’s paper
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9 September 2020
What really lies behind problematic drug and alcohol use?
with Lucie Hartley, Former Chief Executive of EDP Drug & Alcohol Services
– see the video – hear the audio
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27 July 2020
How do personal health budgets support mental wellbeing?
with Breda Spillane, Design, Informatics, Evaluation and Strategic Engagement Lead, Psychological Therapies and Wellbeing Alliance in City and Hackney
– see the video – hear the audio – view the slides
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6 July 2020
Covid-19: how can we use this opportunity to value carers?
with Sonia Benitez, Head of Services, Carers Network
– see the video – hear the audio – view the slides
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16 June 2020
Getting voices heard during Covid-19 – why bother?
with Jacqui McKinlay, CEO, Centre for Public Scrutiny
– see the video – hear the audio – view the slides
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14 May 2020
Safeguarding – the implications of Covid-19 pandemic
with Dr Adi Cooper, Chair of Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS)
– see the slides and Q&A document on safeguarding
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30 April 2020
What does voice, rights and choice mean for people at the end of life?
with Jonathan Ellis, Director of Advocacy and Change, Hospice UK
– see the slides
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25 February 2020
Co-production and technology: putting people at the heart of care
with Dr Olajide, former Medical Director, South London & Maudsley Foundation Trust
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16 October 2019
How intensive interaction can support advocacy
with Janet Gurney, Director of Training, Us In A Bus
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21 August 2019
Hoarding behaviours – putting hoarding care into the Care Act
with Megan Karnes, Director, Hoarding UK
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22 July 2019
Advocates kicking ass or sucking eggs – Are you making effective challenges under the Care Act
with Kate Mercer, Director, BlackBelt advocacy
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26 June 2019
What does the future hold? Trends in advocacy
with Gail Petty, Advocacy & Voice Lead, NDTi
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14 May 2019
Advocacy, local democracy and scrutiny
with Jacqui McKinlay, CEO, Centre for Public Scrutiny
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11 March 2019
Grandpa on a Skateboard: mental capacity
with Tim Farmer, author and founder, TSF Consultants
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16 January 2019
Sensory & physical disabilities: what people need
with Jamie Renton, CEO, Action Disability Kensington and Chelsea
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13 December 2018
Grenfell recovery: grassroots activism
with Joe Batty, Senior Community Development and Engagement Officer, Kensington and Chelsea Social Council
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8 November 2018
Putting service users at the heart of everything
with Bernie Flaherty, Executive Director of Adult Social Care, Bi-Borough
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16 October 2018
About the Mental Health Act
with Alex Ruck Keene, Barrister, 39 Essex Chambers