• College vacancies
  Associate-Dean for Advanced Training

  A vacancy has arisen for an Associate-Dean who will lead on higher training, particularly on the development of curriculum and assessment materials. The post is voluntary and the appointee should expect, with the agreement of his or her employer, to spend an average of 1 p.a./session per week. Associate-Deans are Trustees of the College; they are full members of Council which meets six times each year. They are expected to attend the Education, Training and Standards Committee which meets four times each year and other relevant educational committees.

  
  

  The post-holder will work within the team of Associate-Deans, report to the Dean and work with the Director of Professional Standards and Departmental staff. The post will appeal to consultant psychiatrists in any specialty who have an interest in and commitment to postgraduate education and training in psychiatry. Please write to the Dean, Professor Robert Howard, with a CV indicating expertise and interest in this area of work or email. Deadline: Monday 15 November, with interviews on Monday 6 December 2010.

   

   

  Special Advisers required: 1. Payment by Results and 2. Informatics

  Two vacancies have arisen for the post of Special Advisers on Payment by Results (PbR) and Informatics - both to take office in December 2010.

  The government’s work on PbR is continuing apace, so we are looking for someone who will be able to advise the College on how PbR will affect psychiatric services, both centrally and on local working practices.

  We are also looking for someone to advise us on health information management issues as they relate to the practice of psychiatry and mental health services. Both roles will involve the Special Advisers liaising with relevant groups within the Department of Health and the Care Quality Commission in the first instance, and on advising the College on Informatics, funding mechanisms, quality and outcomes. These roles will also involve working with and supporting colleagues in these areas, attending relevant events, and keeping members abreast of changes.

  
   

  We anticipate that these roles will involve one session a week. This Special Advisers will report directly to the Registrar and have a term of office of 4 years. Members interested in applying should send a covering letter outlining which post is of interest and why, as well as areas of expertise, together with a brief CV, to Claire Churchill by Monday 15 November. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview in December 2010.

• RCPsych book scoops first prize in BMA Awards

  Primary Care Mental Health, published by RCPsych Publications, has bagged first prize in the Primary Health Care category of the BMA Medical Book Awards 2010. Contributors explore how practitioners in primary care can best respond to psychiatric presentations. They discuss ways of improving joint working between primary and secondary care, as well as issues affecting the professional development of all practitioners within primary care teams.

• Invitation to symposium/book launch: Abuse of the doctor-patient relationship

  The Royal College of Psychiatrists is holding a round-table symposium to launch a new book, Abuse of the doctor-patient relationship, at the Royal College of Nursing, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1, on 15 November 2010, 6.30 – 7.30 pm, followed by a drinks reception. Speakers will include David Misselbrook (Dean, RSM), Peter Carter (Chief Executive, RCN) and the book’s editors Fiona Subotsky, Susan Bewley and Michael Crowe.Entry to this event is by ticket only. To reserve your place, email by Friday 5 November.

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• Our response to the White Paper: Equity and Excellence

  While the College broadly supports many of the proposals in the White Paper, it has concerns about the proposed pace of change. In its responses to four separate consultation documents, the College calls for:

  • Outcomes measures to be of value to patients and clinicians, and to address the premature mortality with severe mental illness.

  • GP commissioning to be supported by a mental health commissioning framework with adequate training for GPs in mental health (with a Mental Health Lead being appointed in each consortium to oversee this).

  • Support for the creation of HealthWatch, while seeking assurance that carers and advocates for patients’ views will also be taken into account.

  • Support for the proposal that funds for public health will be ring-fenced, while stressing the need for monies for public mental health be ring-fenced within those budgets.

  The College supports the creation of Healthwatch and welcomes the proposal that funds for public health will be ring-fenced, while stressing the need for monies for public mental health be ring-fenced within those budgets.

• Reducing the number of deaths in patients with anorexia nervosa

  New guidelines, produced by the MARSIPAN working group, (Management of Really Sick Patients with Anorexia Nervosa), have been published by the College and the Royal College of Physicians in the hope to reduce the number of avoidable deaths of patients with severe anorexia nervosa on general medical units. The guidelines are for all medical, nursing and dietetic staff working in hospitals, which may care for patients with severe anorexia nervosa. They provide advice on the physical assessment of these patients, required members of the in-patient medical team, the use of mental health legislation, as well as advice for commissioners on the services that this group of very ill patients need.

• Conference report: Transition from CAMHS to adult services

  A transitions day was held by Quality Improvement Network for Multi-Agency CAMHS (QINMAC) for staff working in Tier 2 and 3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services across the UK. The day provided an opportunity for staff to discuss current protocol regarding the transition of young people from CAMHS to Adult Mental Health Services, and to examine the problems that services face at present.

• College influencing policy: Equality Act 2010

  The Equality Act has recently come into force. The College has been commended by a senior figure at the Human Rights and Equality Commission for our role in getting “the most important new clause for disabled people” into the new law, namely the prohibition on pre-employment questions about health status and health record. This has been a serious problem for people with previous or current mental health problems in getting employment.

• New benefit of membership: Library Book Loans

  College members can use the College’s postal loan service to borrow up to five library books at any one time. Most books are loaned for one month and can be renewed as long as another member has not reserved them. Requested items are sent to members free and the only charge involved is in posting items back to us or you can return them by hand during working hours. Request books via the College library catalogue or email.

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• Inter-Celtic Conference: report from Dr Michael Dennis, RCPsych in Wales

  The Inter-Celtic Conference organised between the Welsh Division of Psychiatry and the Welsh Psychiatric Society (WPS) took place at the new Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 7 to 8 October 2010. More than 70 delegates from Wales, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland attended. We were especially pleased to welcome nearly 30 members of the Société de NeuroPsychiatrie de l'Ouest from Brittany; there has been a longstanding liaison between psychiatrists working in Wales and Breton colleagues with a succession of joint academic conferences. The meeting marked the 50^th anniversary of the WPS and included a guest lecture delivered by author, Lady Brenda Maddox. The reception was hosted by Edwina Hart, Minister for Health & Social Services, Welsh Assembly Government. The conference included the launch in Wales of the College’s report on Self-harm, suicide and risk; helping people who self-harm (CR158).

• Update from RCPsych in Northern Ireland

  World Mental Health Day celebrations

  Northern Ireland psychiatrists celebrated World Mental Health Day with 300 school students, the Health Minister and an indie rock band who all took a pledge not to make fun of mental health problems. The annual event, hosted by Dr Stuart Flanagan from Radio 1’s Surgery programme, talked to a 16 year-old who has experienced mental health problems, and to Dr Peter Sloan, chair of the NI Public Education Committee, about stigma and recovery. The College, together with the Western Health and Social Care Trust, commissioned a play ‘Wise in the Head’ about stigma and mental wellbeing, which was premiered by students from Holy Cross College, Strabane. Opening the event, the Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, announced plans for a government stigma initiative. More than 80 people and organisations had pledged to Take a Stand on Stigma, including many politicians and prominent individuals, such as Alastair Campbell.

  
  

  Northern Ireland plans to ban alcohol promotions

  Northern Ireland Social Development Minister, Alex Atwood, has announced plans to curb binge drinking by banning irresponsible alcohol promotions. The RCPsych in Northern Ireland has been advocating an introduction of a 40p a unit minimum price for alcohol. While this does not appear likely ahead of an Assembly election next year, Atwood wants an immediate ban on Happy Hours and ‘All you can drink’ promotions.

   

• Our top best and worst psychiatry films: nominate now

  The British Journal of Psychiatry’s Extras section is planning a Top 50 Psychiatry Films series, beginning 2011. All members are invited to cast their vote for their five most influential films and their ‘Razzies’. All fiction and documentary feature films are included in all languages, including silent Cinema.

• Adopt-a-Book

  Have you thought of ‘adopting a book’ from our antiquarian collection? This an opportunity to contribute towards the history and development of psychiatry by restoring one of the books in our valuable collection to its original condition. A total of 27 books have so far been restored since the appeal started in July 2007. The College is very grateful to these donors.