The Royal College of Psychiatrists

RCPsychiS discusses key principles for Scotland’s NHS reform with First Minister   With Scotland on the cusp of significant health and social care reform, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland (RCPsychiS) is warning that mental health risks being left behind.   In response, the College has set out key principles for mental health reform, which are outlined in its updated Mental health at the fault line report: https://lnkd.in/eksXPfKR   The first and most important principle calls on the Scottish Government to give mental health equal priority to physical health in its NHS reform agenda, a message the College highlighted across the media for World Mental Health Day 2026: https://lnkd.in/eSqQgX3Y   During party conference season, the College has taken their campaign directly to policymakers across the political spectrum.   At the SNP conference, Dr Jane Morris, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, met First Minister John Swinney MSP alongside College staff and members. They used the opportunity to discuss the College’s key principles and priorities for NHS reform.   The other key principles focus on aligning accountability with authority and resources, embedding clinical expertise in decision-making, ensuring equitable access to care, increasing funding transparency and building a sustainable workforce.   Dr Morris said: “In the context of the sweeping public health reforms proposed for Scotland, it’s crucial to raise the profile of mental health services and psychiatric leadership. We were delighted to discuss our influential paper on the paradoxical effects of 'Integration' with Mr Swinney, Cabinet Secretaries and with Ministers.”   RCPsychiS will also take its recommendations to a cross-party parliamentary roundtable with MSPs, where it will discuss the findings of its report on Scotland's integrated health and social care system, and the principles that should guide NHS reform.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/et7rFPsx   Read more: https://lnkd.in/eEuhRywY

How often do we ask about menopause? Less than a third of women know that menopause can trigger mental illness. Too often, menopause and mental health are treated as separate issues, when both could be part of the picture.   This World Menopause Day, Dr Cath Durkin RCPsych's Women's Mental Health Expert from is calling on women and healthcare professionals to start the conversation.   Ask about menopause. Join the dots.

There is only one week left to go until the QNPMHS Annual Forum! Don't miss out on hearing from our fantastic speakers, including Professor Lindsay Thomson, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh; and Director of the Forensic Mental Health Services Managed Care Network and the School of Forensic Mental Health. She has been Medical Director of the State Hospitals Board for Scotland since 2007. Lindsay’s research interests include recovery and outcomes in mentally disordered offenders, risk, the impact of legislative change, the mental health of people in prison, and interventions and service design. She has a particular interest in teaching and established the School of Forensic Mental Health. The School won the Scottish Public Service Award for Employee Engagement and Skills in 2014. Lindsay was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 at the NHS Education Scotland Medical Directorate Awards. She co-authored the first textbook on psychiatry and the Scottish legal system and legislation: Mental Health and Scots Law in Practice which is now in its second edition. In 2026 she was awarded the Rudiger Muller-Isberner Prize by the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services. Date: 21 October 2026 Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm   Location: 21 Prescot Street, London E1 8BB Prices: £85 for anyone working in a member service (including QNPMHS, QNFMHS and QNPICU members).   £120 for non-members. Patients and carers are able to attend the event for free. To join this discussion and hear more from Lindsay and our other excellent speakers, please find more information about the Annual Forum here: https://bit.ly/3SZWvhz.

For #BlackHistoryMonth, we sat down with DJ Blox to talk music, mental health and much more. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eEJpWch7

We're looking for a candidate with expertise in Microsoft 365, particularly SharePoint and Teams, combined with hands-on experience delivering AV and streaming solutions for hybrid events, to fill the vacant Collaboration and Office Platforms Manager role. For more info and how to apply:https://lnkd.in/ef_KHniQ)

The National ACT Collaboration Day programme is now available!  The Collaboration Day is hosted by the Alcohol Care Team Innovation & Optimisation Network (ACTION) and features presentations and workshops on co-production, staff wellbeing, co-occurring mental health and substance use, inpatient detox pathways, and much more! Tickets are still available and can be purchased by completing a booking form here: https://lnkd.in/eHTQHwd4 Date: 3 November 2026 Time: 09.30 – 16.00 (exact timings TBC) Location: 21 Prescot Street, London, E1 8BB Price:  Members: £85 per person Non members: £120 per person We look forward to seeing you there!

We’re thrilled that our President Professor Subodh Dave, has been recognised in the HSJ's list of the 75 most influential Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in health.   The list celebrates the contributions of leaders from across English health and care and it’s fantastic to see so many psychiatrists and mental health colleagues recognised for their contributions to improving services, tackling inequalities and championing better outcomes for patients.   Read the full list here: https://lnkd.in/e_Ts3gBa?

Introducing Professor Chris Whitty, who will be delivering a presentation virtually at our upcoming QNPMHS Annual Forum on 21 October 2026, focusing on the topic of 'Key Items from the CMO Report on The Health of People in Prison, on Probation, and in The Secure NHS Estate in England'. Chris is a practising NHS Consultant Physician at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, and a visiting professor at Gresham College. Chris is an epidemiologist and has undertaken research and worked as a doctor in the UK, Africa and Asia. He was Professor of Public and International Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) before becoming CMO and remains an honorary professor. Date: 21 October 2026 Time: 9:30am – 4:30pm   Location: 21 Prescot Street, London E1 8BB Prices: £85 for anyone working in a member service (including QNPMHS, QNFMHS and QNPICU members).   £120 for non-members. Patients and carers are able to attend the event for free. To join this discussion and hear more from Chris and our other excellent speakers, please find more information about the Annual Forum here: https://bit.ly/3SZWvhz.

Congratulations to Royal College of Psychiatrists Honorary Fellow Professor Karl Deisseroth on being jointly awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Professor Deisseroth shares the award with Professors Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for discoveries that led to the development of optogenetics, a technique that has transformed our understanding of how the brain works. Researchers use optogenetics to study the neural circuits involved in memory, emotion and behaviour, including those relevant to mental illness. A practising psychiatrist who specialises in affective disorders and autism, Professor Deisseroth was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2018. RCPsych President Professor Subodh Dave said: "On behalf of the College, I offer my warmest congratulations to our Honorary Fellow Professor Karl Deisseroth on receiving this prestigious award. "His pioneering work has opened up extraordinary new ways to understand the brain and represents a remarkable contribution to neuroscience and psychiatry. "This is a thoroughly deserved honour and an outstanding achievement." We are delighted to celebrate this remarkable achievement and look forward to seeing Professor Deisseroth formally receive the Nobel Prize in Stockholm this December. https://lnkd.in/e39iHgDw

From Monday 5 October to Friday 9 October, we celebrated the contributions of SAS psychiatrists to the field of mental health. We published five blogs and three videos across the week. You can read, watch, and share them here: https://lnkd.in/e3NHc5dS