The 2025 recipient of the Leadership Excellence Award for England is Professor David Clark for Talking Therapies.

From England comes a story of system-wide transformation, where science meets access and outcomes speak louder than promises. Guided by a simple goal of fast, effective help for anxiety and depression, Professor David Clark has made talking therapies a routine part of NHS care.

Built on recommended cognitive behavioural therapy and rigorous outcome measurement, the service now supports over a million people annually. It tracks recovery and ensures transparency and equity. Most clients are seen within six weeks, and many experience real clinical improvement.

Innovation extends beyond the clinic. Digital programs for social anxiety and PTSD were developed to match face-to-face outcomes while dramatically reducing therapist time. These tools are now approved and used across languages and cultures.

This is leadership that builds systems, not headlines, putting evidence into action at scale and demonstrating meaningful impact in mental health care.

Congratulations to Professor David Clark for Talking Therapies.