Peter Gilbert - Chair

Peter is Professor of Social Work and Spirituality at Staffordshire University; National Project Lead on Spirituality and Mental Health (formerly with NIMHE, and from 1^st April, 2008 with the National SMH Forum), Visiting Professor with the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and at the University of Worcester, and an associate member of the Royal Society of Medicine. He is also Facilitator for the National Strategic Network in Social Care and on the executive of the new British Association for the Study of Spirituality (BASS).

Peter was on the ‘core group’ setting up the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMHE), and became the NIMHE/SCIE Fellow in Social Care with Professor Nick Gould (2003-6). A Social Worker (qualified and registered) with thirteen years of direct practice, Peter specialised in Learning Disability and Mental Health in the 1980’s, publishing several books on working with people with learning disabilities and their families (inc Managing to Care, with Terry Scragg, 1992). He has managed services for different client groups — children and families and adults.

In the field of Mental Health and Learning Disability, Peter practised under the 1959 Mental Health Act; and qualified as an Approved Social Worker, practising under the 1983 Mental Health Act. He also had experience in working in one of the old long stay hospitals. He managed services for people with Learning Disabilities and Mental Health needs in Kent in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and was very involved in partnership working in both Staffordshire as Director of Operations, and Worcestershire as Director of Social Services. In 2000/01 Peter experienced an episode of depression which reinforced his commitment to an holistic approach to mental health.

Peter has also contributed to policy and practice reviews in the Department of Health and Home Office, and is on the ‘New Ways of Working’ national workforce steering groups on Mental Health. He has recently been asked to contribute to new governmental  policy work around mental health and public health.  In June 2003 Peter published:  The Value of Everything: Social Work and Its Importance in Mental Health, with Russell House Publishing, and is now working on  leadership issues (Leadership: Being Effective and Remaining Human, was published in October, 2005); the user experience;  work on spirituality with the Royal College of Psychiatrists (due 2009); and an edited work (with Mary Ellen Coyte and Vicky Nicholls) on Spirituality: Spirituality, Values and Mental  Health: Jewels for the Journey for JKP, published  in November 2007.

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