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- Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Epidemiology & Applied Clinical Research
- Division of Psychiatry
- Faculty of Brain Sciences
David trained in medicine and social/political sciences at Cambridge University and then UCL.
He completed clinical psychiatry training in North London and was awarded an MRC clinical training fellowship to train as an academic in mental health research. This included a PhD in psychosis and physical health at UCL and an MSc in epidemiology (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine).
David's research has focused on the interface between mental health and physical health for over twenty years.
Twitter @osborn_ucl
He works as a NHS consultant psychiatrist in community psychiatry in Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.
He is an Honorary Consultant at Public Health England/ OHID


David's main research interests are the interface between physical and mental health and the provision of effective and safe interventions for people with Severe Mental iIlnesses including psychosis.
He has a particular interest in harnessing large scale national, international and regional health data to answer big research questions in mental health.
He leads an ongoing NIHR-funded programme, PRIMROSE. The projects evaluate the best ways to assess and manage cardiovascular risk and physical health in people with severe mental illnesses.
Scientific summary of the main studies here. www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/pgfar/pgfar07020/#/scientific-summary
PRIMROSE overview, including new projects 2022
He also researches acute crisis care including the recent NIHR AD-CARE Programme using mixed methods and health informatics.
Selected additional roles:
PI for UCL MRC Mental Health Data Pathfinder
UCL Co-I on UKRI DATAMIND mental Health Informatics Hub
Academic lead for CRIS at Camden and Islington. A research database of 140,000 anonymised mental health records to improve treatments and outcomes for people with mental health problems
Health informatics lead on the NIHR UCLH BRC Mental Health theme. 2017-22
NIHR School for Public Health Research: Co-lead Public Mental Health research programme and UCL Investigator 2019-22.
NIHR ARC North Thames: Lead for Multi-morbidity Theme. 2019-24. Deputy Director 2021-
David led on Integrated Academic Training in Psychiatry for UCL medics from 2008-2021.
He supervises PhDs related to adult psychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, pharmaco-epidemiology, large datasets, health informatics and applied health service research.
He has supervised 13 PhDs to successful completion with 4 current PhD students.
He has examined 16 PhDs.
He has been clinical supervisor for over 50 psychiatric trainees (SHO and Registrar).
He was Divisional Graduate Tutor for research from 2004-2017.
He teaches on UCL's Mental Health MScs and our MRES.
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PGCE. | |||
2004 | Doctor of Philosophy | University College London | |
1997 | Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists | Royal College of Psychiatrists | |
1993 | Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery | University College London | |
1990 | Bachelor of Arts | University of Cambridge | |
ATQ03 - Recognised by the HEA as a Fellow | |||
2000 | Master of Science | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | |
1997 | Master of Arts | University of Cambridge |