The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) Research Centre has announced that Professor Walter Busuttil was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre Conference 2024. This was presented at this year’s conference on 13 May 2024 at Bush House in London by Jim Macleod, Chair of the Forces in Mind Trust Board.
The FiMT Research Centre Conference Lifetime Achievement Award recognises an individual who is a leader in their field and has dedicated their exceptional research career to generating evidence and knowledge which has influenced policy in order to benefit UK ex-Service personnel and their families.
Ruth Harris, Co-Director of the FiMT Research Centre said
“Professor Busuttil has had an exceptional career to date and has played a pivotal role in advancing research involving UK Veterans and developing clinical mental health services for the Veteran community. In acknowledgement of his contribution to the sector, we are honoured to have presented him with this award.”
Professor Walter Busuttil, Director of Research at Combat Stress, said:
“I don’t see this award as just for me, but rather for all of us who have worked diligently for the betterment of the mental health of current and former service personnel.
“Together we have come so far in the past twenty years, from huge advancements in treatment, to collaboration across the sector, to breaking down barriers and stigma preventing those who need it from receiving help. This award really is testament to that.
“Combat Stress continues to be a great leader in driving, providing and informing gold-standard mental health treatment, research and support for veterans, both in the UK and internationally. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Professor Walter Busuttil is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of Research at Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, and a Visiting Professor at the King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) at King’s College London. He has had a distinguished career, spanning several decades, including 16 years of service in the RAF. During the first Gulf War, Professor Busuttil played a pivotal role in establishing rehabilitation services for combatants and contributed to the rehabilitation of British Prisoners of War and hostages released from Beirut, with his work from this period published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Following this he worked for a decade with individuals living with Post-traumatic stress and published studies exploring effective treatments for Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD).
Professor Busuttil has made significant professional contributions to advancing research and developing clinical services for UK Veterans and their families. Joining Combat Stress as Medical Director from 2007-2020, Professor Busuttil spearheaded the development of cutting-edge bespoke clinical services for veterans across the UK. He has also worked to develop evidence-led interventions in response to Veterans’ clinical needs and evaluate their efficacy, contributing the resulting findings to the growing evidence base that forms the basis of our current Veteran’s Mental Health Services. He also founded the Combat Stress Research Centre which has significantly advanced understanding of UK Veteran’s mental health, developed new groundbreaking interventions, and produced over 150 published articles.
