A Keele professor is to embark on a new study to help psychosis patients in Sri Lanka and Pakistan after receiving a prestigious global health professorship. 

Professor Saeed Farooq, from Keele’s School of Medicine, has been awarded a global health professorship from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), a role he will hold for the next five years. 

The role is given to outstanding researchers selected from UK and low- and middle-income  countries (LMIC) in recognition of their extensive work which improves the health and welfare of people in low- and middle-income countries. 

Professor Farooq, an expert in psychiatry and public mental health, will also receive a £1.8million research grant as part of his professorship, which he will use to help develop services for patients with young onset psychosis in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

Professor Farooq said: “This award will make a lifelong dream come true as I always believed that early intervention in psychosis in LMIC countries will transform the outcomes for young people with psychosis. This will help me to establish early intervention in psychosis services that have been shown to be effective clinically as well economically but are sadly lacking in almost all low- and middle-income countries.” 

Professor Christian Mallen, Executive Dean for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Keele, added: “NIHR Research Professorships are the most prestigious award made by the NIHR. This success reflects the high esteem in which Saeed is held and the impact of his work globally.” 

Neil Carr OBE, Chief Executive of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, added: “I am thrilled that Saeed has been awarded this prestigious NIHR award, as an honorary consultant Psychiatrist here in MPUFT. The learning from this cutting-edge research and other projects he is leading locally and globally will, l’m sure, support new research of the future for our staff, service users carers and services.”