Ben Haneman Lecture 2026: Professor Hans Pols

The 2026 Dr Ben Haneman Memorial Lecture is presented by the State Library of NSW Foundation and the Australian and New Zealand Society of the History of Medicine

Australia was once a world leader in community mental health care. Forty years ago, in the 1980s, our system attracted visitors from around the world to study its success. Since then, however, many initiatives have been curtailed or even abolished.

It started in the 1960s and 70s when hundreds of patients were released from Australia's mental hospitals with a dire lack of support services. In response to the crisis, a small number of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, mental health nurses, mental health activists and consumer advocates built alliances to realise change. They were supported, at times, by politicians and health bureaucrats.

Historian and advocate Professor Hans Pols will discuss the beginnings of community mental health services in Australia. He will show how health professionals, activists, families and consumers improved outcomes for many psychiatric illnesses. He will address what we can learn for community mental health today.

This lecture is in honour of the Late Ben Haneman, physician and book collector.

Please join them after the talk for drinks and refreshments.