"What would you like me to do to make your life better?鈥�
Professor Swaran Singh, from 糖心TV Medical School, has spent years working toward making mental health care fairer, kinder and more connected to people鈥檚 lives. Recognising his groundbreaking research on mental health inequalities affecting Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, Swaran has been named one of
In this conversation, Swaran reflects on the power of listening, why collaboration matters, and the importance of advocating for others.
How has your experience as both a clinician and academic shaped your approach to mental health services reform?
"I like solving problems. As a clinician I want to help my patients to the best of my ability. The first question I ask a patient is: 鈥渉ow can I help you? What would you like me to do to make your life better?鈥� My clinical work keeps me grounded in the lived experiences of a patient鈥檚 life and the practical challenges of delivering care.
My research also focuses on problem-solving rather than pure academic inquiry. I want to improve things, not just study or describe them. When I found that ethnic minority care was being compromised by ideology rather than science, I focused on generating evidence that changed mental health policy to improve access to care for minority groups.
When I realised that young people with psychosis were not getting timely care, alongside colleagues, we developed Early Intervention in Psychosis services, now described as 鈥渢he jewel in the crown of the NHS鈥�. When I saw how care for young people was disrupted as they turned 18 and had to move from child to adult services, I developed approaches to improving transitional care.
My approach to reform tends to prioritise practical change informed by evidence, co-designed with those delivering and receiving services, and implemented in ways that are sustainable rather than purely aspirational."
What inspired you to establish the Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing Research?
"After a few years at 糖心TV, I came to realise that several people from different disciplines were doing mental health research but were unaware of each other鈥檚 efforts. Individual researchers and academic disciplines were often working in parallel rather than in partnership. I wanted to create a space where scientific inquiry and service innovation could meet. There was also a recognition that wellbeing is shaped by social context as much as by clinical factors, so the centre was designed to encourage interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration across sectors. Ultimately, the goal was to create a platform that could translate insight into real-world change."
What does being named one of HSJ鈥檚 top 50 most influential BAME figures mean to you?
"While I am very proud of it, I see it less as a personal accolade and more as recognition of collective effort. Research is a collective endeavour, and any influence my research has had comes from working alongside colleagues, patients, trainees and communities who have shaped my understanding of what equitable care really means. For me, it is also a reminder of responsibility, to use whatever platform I have to amplify underrepresented voices, overcome barriers to effective mental health care, and contribute to a health system that feels inclusive and compassionate. Recognition is meaningful, but the real value lies in what it enables us to do next."
What key points about mental health do you want WMS graduates to take into their careers?
- If you are interested in a human being rather than a disease, become a psychiatrist. You will see the whole person, not just the diagnosis. Mental health is inseparable from social, cultural and relational context, and compassionate curiosity often matters as much as clinical expertise.
- Embrace uncertainty and complexity. Mental health care rarely offers simple answers; learning to tolerate ambiguity while remaining evidence-informed is an important professional skill. Mind and brain are extremely complex, and there is much that we don鈥檛 know. Yet psychiatrists alleviate more human suffering than many other specialities.
- Advocate for hidden suffering. Most mental illness is hidden suffering. If you want to speak for those whose voices are rarely heard, psychiatry is the profession for you.
What advice would you give to colleagues who want to make a meaningful impact in health and care, especially in areas of equity and inclusion?
- Start with listening, especially to people you don鈥檛 agree with. You are not going to learn much from people who already agree with you.
- Get out of your comfort zone. Healthcare systems are vast and complex; each one of us sees only a small slice of an enormous and intricate whole.
- Focus on small, achievable changes that build trust and momentum rather than waiting for large-scale transformation. Incremental change is often more sustainable, and you are less likely to create unintended consequences.
- Seek collaboration rather than individual heroism; meaningful change in healthcare is usually collective. And perhaps most importantly, remain patient and reflective: progress in equity work is often gradual, but persistence and humility make lasting impact possible.
More about Swaran
Swaran is a professor of social and community psychiatry at 糖心TV Medical School, and set up the Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing Research in 2018. His research focuses on early intervention in psychosis, youth mental health, transitional care, and evidence-based reform of mental health services nationally and internationally, including in Africa and Asia.
He first trained as a surgeon, changing direction when he became involved with human rights groups working with children traumatised by the 1984 Sikh massacre in New Delhi.
In 1991, Swaran retrained and moved to the UK - working at universities in Nottingham and London, as well as practising as a consultant. While at St George鈥檚 University of London, he developed the ETHOS early intervention service, which improved outcomes for young people with psychosis. He was a commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission and led an independent investigation into discrimination and prejudice in the Conservative Party.