Sonia Johnson

Sonia Johnson is Professor of Social and Community Psychiatry at University College London and Director of the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit for England, providing evidence to the Department of Health and Social Care. She also leads the UKRI cross-disciplinary network on Loneliness and Social Isolation in Mental Health.

Her educational background includes:

• Pre-clinical medical training at University of Cambridge
• Clinical medical training at University of Oxford
• BA in Social and Political Sciences from University of Cambridge
• MSc in Social Psychology from London School of Economics

Professor Johnson's research focuses on clinical and social treatment outcomes for severe mental illnesses like psychosis and bipolar disorder. She specializes in acute care and early psychosis interventions, with extensive work evaluating crisis resolution teams and alternatives to inpatient care. Her community-centered approach addresses social determinants of mental health, including loneliness and social isolation impacts.

She co-founded the Camden and Islington Early Intervention Service in 2003, translating research into practice through this pioneering service. As NIHR Mental Health PRU Director, she bridges evidence and policy to shape England's mental health services, while her UKRI network advances cross-disciplinary understanding of social isolation in mental health contexts.

Her clinical career began in the Drayton Community Mental Health Team before transitioning to the Camden and Islington Early Intervention Service, maintaining active clinical involvement alongside research leadership.