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A renowned leader in psychiatry and ageing has been recognised for excellence in research with a prestigious Mental Health Good Outcomes Award.

The University of Western Australia's Professor Osvaldo Almeida won the GESB Award for improved outcomes in Seniors Mental Health, presented by the Mental Health Commission.

The annual Mental Health Good Outcomes Awards recognise the high standard and ongoing commitment demonstrated by individuals and organisations involved in addressing key mental health issues at a local, regional or state level in Western Australia.

Professor Osvaldo Almeida was appointed as Chair of Old Age Psychiatry at UWA in 1998 and has since developed extensive research programs designed to identify and, whenever possible, modify risk factors associated with poor mental health in later life.

Professor Almeida led the establishment of the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing with geriatrician Professor Leon Flicker, and currently serves as its Director of Research.  He continues to work in a clinical capacity as a consultant geriatric psychiatrist at the Royal Perth Hospital.

Professor Almeida is internationally recognised for his pioneering work on characterising the psychotic states of later life.  His work contributed to the development of new guidelines for the diagnosis of psychotic states in later life.

His most recent research has focused on cardiovascular risk factors associated with depression and improvement in health outcomes for older people with depression.  Professor Almeida's work has been published extensively, with more than 200 journal articles, numerous books and book chapters.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Osvaldo Almeida (School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences) (+61 8) 9224 2720
Christianne White (WA Centre for Health and Ageing)  (+61 8) 9224 2993 / (+61 4) 15 213 661
Tony Malkovic (UWA Media Office)  (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 11 103 398