This area of the website contains information about current
College initiatives in relation to race equality and gender
equality. The College is planning other initiatives to address
wider diversity issues including disability.
Statement of Equal Opportunities
The Royal College of Psychiatrists recognises and values the
diversity amongst its members, associates and staff. The College is
therefore committed to the eradication of unlawful discrimination,
and to the principle of creating equality of opportunity in all its
activities and functions. It is determined to ensure that this
commitment is reflected in practice through its policies,
procedures and day-to-day work in carrying out these activities and
functions.
The College expects that members, associates and staff, when
acting on behalf of the College, will treat all people equally
whatever their race, colour, ethnic origin, national origin,
religion, gender, age, sexuality, physical disability, mental
disability or appearance.
Members, associates and staff expect to be treated fairly and
not to be discriminated against either when dealing with each other
or with other people who come into contact with the College.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is committed to acting to
create equality of opportunity in the recruitment, promotion, pay,
development and training of College staff and also in the
application of its employment policies and procedures. The Staff
Handbook contains this Statement and more specific policies
relating to diversity and the College's role as an employer.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is committed to monitoring
its activities and functions to ensure equality of outcomes and to
ensure that it complies .with all current equality and diversity
legislation
This statement has been approved by Council and therefore the
College expects all its members, associates and staff to give
active support to this statement.
Endorsed by Council April 2004
Council was succeeded by the Central Executive Comnittee in
2006
Gender Equality Statement of Intent
Endorsed by Council April 2004
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is committed to gender
equality in the promotion and practice of psychiatry by the
eradication of unlawful discrimination, and the promotion of equal
opportunities with respect to its role as an employer, in the
development and implementation of the standards and practice for
psychiatrists, and in the development and implementation of College
policies and procedures.
As part of this commitment the College will not tolerate any
gender discriminatory behaviour through the application of its
policies, procedures and standards or in the behaviour of its
staff, members, associates or trainees. Contractors will also be
expected to follow the commitment of the College to gender
equality.
The commitment to gender equality is consistent with the
corporate aims as set out by the College in its Royal Charter1,
Guidance on Good Psychiatric Practice2 and Statement of Equal
Opportunities3. Priority will be given to the follow areas:
i. Having a policy of zero tolerance regarding gender
harassment, intimidation, bullying, victimisation or unjustified
discrimination by or between members, associates, trainees and
staff.
ii. Ensuring that core training and education of members,
associates and trainees includes capability in gender issues
iii. Ensuring that all members, trainees and associates have
access to and are able to fully benefit from all functions of the
College regardless of gender
iv. Taking action to support members in ensuring that service
users and carers have access to gender sensitive mental health
services.
v. Promoting awareness of the potential for discrimination in
use of Mental Health legislation
vi. Ensuring that all research directed or influenced by the
College takes appropriate account of gender
vii. Ensuring gender equality is an integral part of College
monitoring and quality assurance policies, procedures and
standards.
All staff, members, trainees and associates are expected to
actively support these recommendations. The College Council will
ensure that this statement and the work plans and framework
referred to within it are developed, implemented and monitored on
an annual basis.
1. College Charter (included in Bye-laws) (OP62) (Sept
2006)
2. Good Psychiatric Practice (Oct 2004) (CR125) cr125
3. Statement of Equal Opportunities
(April 2004)
Race Equality
In 1998 a project group was convened under the chairmanship of
the then President, Professor John Cox, to review the College's
work in relation to ethnic issues in psychiatric training and
practice. The project group reviewed the 1996 Council Report on
Psychiatric Practice and Training in a Multi-Ethnic Society (CR48)
(now withdrawn), following an original Report produced in 1987
under the Chairmanship of Professor Ken Rawnsley. This initiative
resulted in the publication in 2001 of CR92
- Report of the Ethnic Issues Project Group which set out
several important recommendations to be taken on board by the
College, including:
- ensuring that psychiatric training equips psychiatrists to be
culturally sensitive and culturally competent in their
therapies
- ensuring that Members of the College are aware of the
possibility of discrimination or abuse when applying mental health
legislation to black and ethnic minorities. Discriminatory
practices by members of the College will not be tolerated
- ensuring equal access to services for all black and ethnic
minority communities
- continuing dialogue with all relevant user groups, including
black user groups
- establishing an Ethnic Issues
Committee, as a Special Committee of Council, to lead on the
implementation of the report’s recommendations – including the
regular monitoring of College functions including examination
results, election results and nominations for distinction awards.
All appointments to the committee – including the appointment of Dr
Parimala Moodley as Chair – were made following open advertisement
and interview.
- undertaking a systematic review of College structures and
introducing measures to eliminate any discriminatory practices. The
Centre for Ethnicity and Health at the University of Central
Lancashire was appointed to undertake a three-year external review
of College structures, and is working closely with the Ethnic
Issues Committee in this regard.
In association with a team from the University of Central
Lancashire’s Centre for Ethnicity and Health (CEH), the College’s
Ethnic Issues Committee developed a detailed Race Equality Action
Plan in 2003, to take forward its Race
Equality Statement of Intent and a Race Equality Scheme
produced in 2002.
This practical work outlines the action to be taken in the
College to achieve the objectives of the Statement and Scheme. The
Action Plan was endorsed by Council in April 2003, and is being
taken forward actively. The Action Plan covers most areas of
College activity including:
- ensuring that College policy – including all Council Reports -
is non-discriminatory and promotes racial equality
- preparing a racial harassment policy for College members,
associates, and trainees, and considering a mechanism for providing
support
- ensuring that core training and education of members and
trainees includes capability in race and culture issues
- ensuring that black and minority ethnic members, associates,
and trainees have access to all functions of the College
- contributing towards improving services for black and minority
ethnic service users
- improving consultation with black and minority ethnic service
users
- promoting awareness of the potential for discrimination in
mental health legislation
- ensure that research takes account of race and culture
issues
- carrying out specific employment duties as employer of College
staff
Race equality in the College: what have
we achieved? [Top of
page]
Ethnic
monitoring
Ethnic monitoring: a new survey has been undertaken to identify
the ethnic background of the College’s membership in the UK and
Ireland, with a view to ensuring that members and associates are
treated equitably in all areas of College activity. 90% of members
in the UK and Ireland have now responded to the survey – almost one
quarter of respondents describing themselves as being from black
and minority ethnic backgrounds. This information is, of course,
held confidentially.
(The College has adopted the categories used by the Office for
National Statistics (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/)
with modifications recommended by the Commission for Race Equality.
The monitoring exercise within the College was widened last year
to identify the ethnic breakdown of Affiliates, members of key
College committees, examiners and observers in the MRCPsych
Examination, performance of candidates in the MRCPsych
Examinations, College tutors, specialty tutors, co-ordinating
tutors, course organisers, assessors on Appointments Committees,
elections to: key College committees, Fellowship, specialist
Faculties, Sections, geographical Divisions, Special Interest
Groups, members nominated and elected to College offices, and
nominations put forward by the College for Clinical Excellence
Awards.
Race and gender data is collected annually. Following
scrutiny by the Central Executive Committee (formerly
Council), the Special Committee on Ethnic Issues, and the
Gender Equality Project Group, key data is uploaded on the
website.
Ethnic monitoring 2007:
Ethnic monitoring - 2006:
Ethnic monitoring - 2005:
Ethnic monitoring - 2004:
Ethnic monitoring – 2003:
Gender monitoring - 2007
Gender monitoring - 2006:
Gender monitoring - 2005:
Gender monitoring - 2004:
[Top of page]
Useful links