Kashmir-born psychiatrist honoured with ‘Mental Health Professional of the Year’ award in UK

Srinagar, Dec 16: Dr Shaheen Aslam Shora, a Kashmir-born Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of Specialist Mental Health Services at Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Mental Health Professional of the Year’ title at the inaugural British Muslim Health Awards 2025.

The award was conferred on December 13 in recognition of Dr Shora’s exceptional dedication, compassion and leadership in the field of mental health, as well as her sustained commitment to charitable work and improving access to mental healthcare for underserved communities.

Born and raised in Srinagar, Dr Shora completed her schooling at Mallinson Girls School, where she served as Head Girl. She went on to earn her MBBS degree from SKIMS Medical College and later completed a diploma in psychological counselling in Chennai. Early in her career, she worked in a voluntary capacity with Doctors Without Borders, conducting trauma counselling workshops for vulnerable populations.

Dr Shora moved to the United Kingdom in 2002 and achieved membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2005. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to mental health services, education, training and research, she was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2023.

Known as a compassionate clinician and an inclusive leader, Dr Shora is a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion. She currently serves as the National Equity Champion of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and is an executive member of the College’s Old Age Faculty. In these roles, she has worked tirelessly to improve patient care, safety and service quality, ensuring better outcomes for people from all social and cultural backgrounds.

Beyond her clinical responsibilities, Dr Shora remains deeply connected to her roots. She is the General Secretary of the British Kashmiri Medical Association and has played a key role in organising educational conferences and community events that bring together the Kashmiri diaspora in the UK. She also actively supports charitable initiatives aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery in underprivileged communities.

Dr Shora attributes her success to the encouragement and unconditional love of her parents, the unwavering support of her husband, the guidance of her mentors and colleagues, and the support of her family and close friends in both the UK and Kashmir. She has expressed profound gratitude for what she describes as the blessings of Almighty Allah throughout her journey.

She dedicated the award to her sister-in-law, Sasha Bhat, acknowledging her as a champion of mental health who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and improve access to services for ethnic minority communities in the north of England.

Dr Shora’s achievement has been widely hailed as a moment of pride for Kashmir and for the global Kashmiri medical community, highlighting the impact of dedication, service and leadership in advancing mental healthcare worldwide.