The Maudsley Debates have been held at the IoP since 2000.  There are three debates a year.  They are all open to the public, and are well attended by service users, carers, professionals and journalists and members of the public. Topics generally focus on issues that have a direct impact on mental health services, service users and mental health professionals.  Recent topics have included the role of the private sector in mental health services, the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on psychiatry, the importance of inpatient beds and putative links between creativity and mental illness.