United Kingdom: The Royal Society of Medicine

Sarah said:
November 2013:



Linking the Kickstarter page for Unrest (then Canary in a Coal Mine.)
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I see that @jayletay commented on Stephen Fry's tweet here. I'd like to think Stephen Fry would read Jessica's book "A Girl Behind Dark Glasses". Maybe a complementary copy might be in order? It would be an appalling shame if Stephen Fry did it all wrong, in the sincere belief he was doing it all right.
 
I think he will just fall into the comfort zone of "everything we experience is in the brain". Its unlikely he will look deeply at ME, PACE, MUS the DSM, the Wessely school.

He like most people will prefer to remain in the pontification zone, and with his posh accent he will be used to people hanging on anything he says.

Personally I think he will love the "functional neurological" nonsense and will buy into it deeply.

If there was anyway to challenge him it might be a tweet like "how is CBT for ME different from conversion therapy for homosexuality, ask Wessely for the evidence".

It could backfire though and to be honest I think he has been captured by the mental illness for all narrative.
 
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monday 12 november 2018

5.30 pm
Registration, tea and coffee
6.05 pm
In conversation with Mr Stephen Fry
Interviewed by Professor Sir Simon Wessely, President, Royal Society of Medicine
6.50 pm
In conversation with Mr Henry Marsh and Dr Rachel Clarke
Interviewed by Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Mr Stephen Fry
7.35 pm
Panel discussion
7.50 pm
Closing remarks
Professor Gillian Leng, Deputy Chief Executive, NICE
7.55 pm
Drinks reception
All delegates welcome
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So it looks like Wessely interviews Fry, then Wessely and Fry interview Marsh and Clarke, then there's a panel discussion. No one is interviewing Wessely, so he'll just be there being the genial host. No chance for anyone to even raise the subject of ME, let alone Wessely's role in it. Why would they?
 
large donner said:
I think he will just fall into the comfort zone of "everything we experience is in the brain". Its unlikely he will look deeply at ME, PACE, MUS the DSM, the Wessely school.

He like most people will prefer to remain in the pontification zone, and with his posh accent he will be used to people hanging on anything he says.

Personally I think he will love the "functional neurological" nonsense and will buy into it deeply.

If there was anyway to challenge him it might be a tweet like "how is CBT for ME different from conversion therapy for homosexuality, ask Wessely for the evidence".

It could backfire though and to be honest I thing he has been captured by the mental illness for all narrative.
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Though, as a gay man, he may be swayed by Peter Tatchell's article linking gay conversion therapy and CBT in ME. However, I think he's unlikely to make a fuss at this event either way.
 
Simon Wessely would absolutely not invite a guest for something like this unless he knew in advance that it would only increase his profile and esteem. I expect a great deal of blustering talk about how body in mind mind is body in a way that suggests that people can make themselves ill. It will be well crafted to be utterly vague while sounding profound while delivered in a light- hearted and interesting way.

I think ME will be off the table.

When I see any celebrity talk about anything medical I tremble. It's sad but people of great intelligence who we have enjoyed and been entertained by have a really bad track record for engaging with medicine. There are occasional exceptions of course but generally for whatever reason they seem to be overly susceptible to woo explanations. I would so like to find that it is otherwise here.

Simon will score points here for his cause. This is just a PR exercise. Best to focus our efforts on growing alliances that understand the politics of MUS in all it's forms in order to build a larger movement to bring it all down from the shadowy places where the real decisions are being made.
 
Binkie4 said:
What is the dep chief executive of Nice doing there giving the closing remarks especially when ME is in the process of being reviewed by Nice?


ETA:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillian_Leng
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That is a very valid observation. Why indeed? Seems like the old school ties and funny handshakes have been operating in overdrive behind the scenes. One thing's for sure: This is not just happenstance; smells strongly of social engineering.
 
Wesley and Hawkins, wessely and jo brand, wessely and Stephen fry, wessely and prince harry, wessely Regis professor, working for government and military on mental health, ex president of psychiatrists and every title going. He’s built an impressive don’t touch wall hasn’t he for a man with such a track record.
 
Binkie4 said:
@Snowdrop " I think ME will be off the table"

I'm inclining to agree. I cannot see how the dep Chief Exec of Nice can be involved otherwise. If ME was a major part of the discussion, how could she present the closing remarks?
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I agree absolutely, but just once in a blood moon things can go terribly not according to plan - with a little help. But it may be best to sit back and watch the antics.
 
Binkie4 said:
@Snowdrop " I think ME will be off the table"

I'm inclining to agree. I cannot see how the dep Chief Exec of Nice can be involved otherwise. If ME was a major part of the discussion, how could she present the closing remarks?
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The sceptic in me says that SW will find a way to oh-so-casually drop an innocently-nuanced comment or two along the way, that he can just-plausibly deny have any ulterior motive behind them. His stock in trade, and I cannot believe he would let such an opportunity pass him by, when he must be feeling the need to patch the holes in his sinking ship.
 
I agree that Wessley will have made sure in advance that this isn't going to be an event where there could be an open discussion about ME. It won't be mentioned.

BUT I do think it's interesting that Stephen Fry tweeted about Unrest and I'm pretty sure that he tweeted about ME previously to that tweet too. It may have been on a previous ME awareness type day some years ago. As I recall he tweeted something like, 'ME is a real illness..'. I remember thinking when I read it, - he must have a friend with ME. Perhaps it was as result of that initial tweet that someone introduced him to Unrest? Of course, I've no idea when it was and there is a chance I've mis-remembered.

Just thinking though, that he has an enquiring mind and if he got curious, it could be useful. Of course, his passion and commitment lies with mental health as that's his experience but he seems like a compassionate and interested type of person.
 
Tia said:
I agree that Wessley will have made sure in advance that this isn't going to be an event where there could be an open discussion about ME. It won't be mentioned.

BUT I do think it's interesting that Stephen Fry tweeted about Unrest and I'm pretty sure that he tweeted about ME previously to that tweet too. It may have been on a previous ME awareness type day some years ago. As I recall he tweeted something like, 'ME is a real illness..'. I remember thinking when I read it, - he must have a friend with ME. Perhaps it was as result of that initial tweet that someone introduced him to Unrest? Of course, I've no idea when it was and there is a chance I've mis-remembered.

Just thinking though, that he has an enquiring mind and if he got curious, it could be useful. Of course, his passion and commitment lies with mental health as that's his experience but he seems like a compassionate and interested type of person.
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He’s also an Alzheimer’s champion and prostate cancer “victim “so probably has enough health “causes”
 
Trish said:
So it looks like Wessely interviews Fry, then Wessely and Fry interview Marsh and Clarke, then there's a panel discussion. No one is interviewing Wessely, so he'll just be there being the genial host. No chance for anyone to even raise the subject of ME, let alone Wessely's role in it. Why would they?
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You are absolutelty correct, Trish - ME is not relevant to this event, though the theme is medical narratives and the public. I guess it is just so galling for all of us that Wessely will once again be in the spotlight, presenting himself as a reasonable and affable scientist. Everyone present at the event will be seduced by his usual bullshit.
 
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