Between 29th June and July 1st, the Integrative and Personalised Medicine Conference 2023 took place at the QEII Centre in the heart of Westminster. As partners at the event, we were thrilled to see so many in attendance for what was three days of inspiring speakers, fascinating discourse and, importantly, the chance to reconnect with those in our community who have the same goal: a passion for better healthcare for everyone.
A diverse range of speakers took to the stage and break-out rooms, from actress Jenny Seagrove, talking to Dr Harry Brunjes about how her mother’s early death influenced her own preventative approach to health to a keynote address from Professor David Nutt, who gleaned from more than 50 years of research to discuss the latest drug treatments for anxiety, depression and addiction.
On day three, Dr Robert Lustig presented to a full auditorium on The True Purpose of Nutrition, telling the audience: ‘Food can be medicine; it can also be poison. The science is clear: feed the gut with more soluble and insoluble fibre, and less fructose to protect the liver with more a-linolenic acid, EPA, DHA to support the brain.’
Our own Beyond Pills Campaign, which continues to call for the tackling of unnecessary over-prescribing in the NHS, kicked off day one with an extraordinary panel of speakers – including leading doctors, pharmacists, politicians and patients – each with their own take on the growing drug dependence epidemic.
The event also saw the announcement that the campaign will now join forces with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence (APPD).
Taking to the stage were MP Danny Kruger (Chair of the APPD), Dr Bogdan Chiva Giurca (Clinical Lead for Social Prescribing at the National Academy for Social Prescribing), Tony Avery (NHS England’s Clinical Director for Prescribing), Gay Palmer (Social Prescriber Link Worker Lead), Over Prescribing Pharmacist Lelly Oboh and Patient Advocate for ‘Skills not Pills’, Sean Jennings.
We also launched our Food for Mood Campaign. The College of Medicine has collaborated with Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and professional chef Dr Uma Naidoo, our US Ambassador of food and nutrition, on a six-section online leaflet that covers how we can eat well for better sleep, memory and focus and less anxiety, pain and unhappiness.
Dr Naidoo launched the campaign during her session on day one and told The College of Medicine; ‘I’m so excited to share our Food for Mood Campaign that we are launching with the The College of Medicine. I think it’ll really help people learn what healthy eating is, particularly the foods that can help our everyday mood. The audience was very receptive!’
Below, we’ve picked out some of our video and photographic highlights from the event – and look forward to seeing you all again next year…
