hospital history:
Research

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Locally, mental health medicine has benefited from the presence of a University in the city. The Faculty of Medicine at University College Dundee, now the University of Dundee, was officially founded in 1897. The Dundee Royal Lunatic Asylum began its history as a teaching hospital the same year, with students visiting Westgreen as part of a course in Mental Diseases.

When Dr Ivor Batchelor became Physician Superintendent of Dundee Royal Mental Hospital in 1956, a stronger relationship was forged with the University, and for the first time all medical undergraduates were required to visit and assess mental health patients. In 1962 Dr Batchelor was awarded the first Chair in Psychiatry at the University.

Research done by the University of Dundee and hospital staff led to the formation of specialist units for the study of metabolic changes in mental illness and for the drug treatment of depression.

The University now has units at Ninewells and Carseview.
It operates a regional Lithium clinic and an ECT clinic, and is actively engaged in research into affective disorders, cognitive behavioural therapy and other topics.