Wolfson JRF Receives Christopher D. Webster Rising Star Award

Congratulations to Dr Howard Ryland, who was recently awarded the Christopher D. Webster Rising Star Award for Excellence in Policy Work by the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (IAFMHS).

The award – presented to Howard at the 2026 IAFMHS Conference in Helsinki – recognises an outstanding early-career professional whose work has made a meaningful impact on forensic mental health practice, service delivery, or policy development. It honours the legacy of the late Dr Christopher Webster, an internationally respected scholar and pioneer in violence risk assessment.

Dr Ryland’s research focuses on improving forensic mental health services. During his DPhil, he developed the FORensic oUtcome Measure (FORUM), a new outcome measure designed to evaluate outcomes in forensic mental health services. He continues to contribute to national policy through his work with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), NHS England, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Ryland’s attendance at the IAFMHS Conference was supported by Wolfson’s Academic Fund.