ASH welcomes new chair to the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership
ASH is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Ed Beveridge as the new co-chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership, succeeding Professor Ann McNeill, who has co-led the partnership for the past decade alongside Mark Rowland of the Mental Health Foundation.
Dr Beveridge brings extensive clinical expertise as an experienced psychiatrist and the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ lead on physical health. He is deeply engaged in the tobacco control agenda and has recently been appointed Medical Director at a London mental health trust. His experience and leadership are expected to strengthen the partnership’s mission to reduce smoking rates and improve health outcomes for people with mental health conditions.
Dr Ed Beveridge incoming Chair, said:
“People with mental health conditions continue to experience some of the starkest health inequalities in society, and smoking remains a major contributor to this. I’m delighted to be joining the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership at such an important time, as we work to ensure that reducing smoking among people with poor mental health becomes a core part of efforts to create a smokefree country. I look forward to working with partners across mental health, public health and tobacco control to help drive meaningful and lasting change.”
Mark Rowland, Co-Chair of the partnership, added:
“We are incredibly grateful to Ann for her decade of outstanding leadership. Her dedication has ensured people with mental health conditions are central to tobacco control efforts. We warmly welcome Dr Ed Beveridge and look forward to working together to continue driving the partnership’s important mission.”
Prof Ann McNeill, outgoing Co-Chair said:
“It has been a privilege to co-chair the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership over the past decade, most recently alongside Mark Rowland. During that time, we have helped ensure that the needs of people with mental health conditions are recognised as central to tobacco control policy and practice. I would also like to thank the members of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership whose dedication and work have been instrumental in keeping mental health and smoking on the agenda.
While important progress has been made, there is still much more to do to address the profound inequalities caused by smoking among people with poor mental health. I am delighted to welcome Dr Ed Beveridge as incoming co-chair. His clinical leadership, expertise and commitment to improving physical health outcomes in mental health services make him exceptionally well placed to help lead the partnership into its next phase.”
Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of ASH, commented:
“We are hugely grateful to Professor Ann McNeill for her decade of leadership and commitment to improving the lives of people with mental health conditions affected by smoking. Ann has played a pivotal role in ensuring mental health is recognised as a core tobacco control issue. We are delighted to welcome Dr Beveridge as incoming co-chair, whose clinical expertise and commitment to reducing health inequalities will be invaluable to the partnership’s future work.”
The Mental Health and Smoking Partnership brings together experts, organisations, and advocates to tackle the intersection of smoking and mental health, aiming to improve health outcomes and support individuals on their journey to a smoke-free life.