Faculties are ‘recognised specialties’, with higher training schemes leading to a Certificate of Completion of Training from the General Medical Council. They are listed in College Bye Laws and need approval from the Annual Meeting and Privy Council to be set up or disbanded.

The definitions for Faculties and are set out in the College Bye-Laws and Regulations. A member of the College can join whichever Faculty, Section and/or Special Interest Group they choose (to join a Faculty, Section or Special Interest Group, please contact the Membership Department), and can be a member of more than one at a time. 

The fact that a College member belongs to a particular Faculty, Section or Special Interest Group does not necessarily mean that they work in that field. Equally, it is not a requirement for any psychiatrist to belong to a particular Faculty or Section to work in that area of psychiatry.

Regulation XX

A Faculty will normally only be established where a specific branch of psychiatry can be identified with a cadre of practising specialists who will have acquired higher training in that recognised specialty and where, in the Council’s opinion, there exists a substantial body of experience which the College needs to consult.