April 2011

College news
Other news
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Update from the President, Professor Dinesh Bhugra College news

 

 

Update from the President, Professor Dinesh Bhugra

For many months I was involved, on your behalf, in drafting of the recently launched Mental Health Strategy, No Health Without Mental Health, a strap-line which I hope you all recognise. The College also signed up, with 27 other organisations, to a Call for Action.

 


International Congress: 28 June to 1 July 2011, Brighton

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Committee on ECT and related treatments: Vacancy for Committee Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professor Hubert Lacey: Master of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers

 

 

 

 

 

 

101 Recipes for Audit in Psychiatry - edited by Clare Oakley et al

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Clinician's Brief Guide to the Mental Health Act - by Tony Zigmond
  • International Congress: 28 June to 1 July 2011, Brighton

    Have you booked yet to attend this year’s International Congress and celebrate 40 years of the Royal College of Psychiatrists?

 

  • College vacancies

    International Psychiatry: applications to join its Editorial Board

    Editorial Board members will be required to contribute ideas for the development of the journal, to introduce new contacts, to assist with peer review and to submit papers for publication and participate in Editorial Board meetings, either in person or by teleconference, which take place four times a year. Please email a CV and covering letter outlining in the letter any relevant experience and your reasons for applying. The deadline for applications is 17 May 2011. Please refer to 'The role of the board member' before submitting your application.

    Special Committee on ECT and related treatments: Chair

    A vacancy has arisen for the Chair of Special Committee on ECT and related treatments. The College recognises that ECT and related treatments are a specialised area, so it is essential that applicants are working in, or have expertise in ECT practice or research, or practice or research relevant to related physical treatments, and are experienced at chairing committees. Experience in dealing with the media would be helpful. Closing date is 20 May 2011.

    Call for commentators: Evidence-Based Mental Health (EBMH) 

    EBMH is an international digest that alerts clinicians to important advances in treatment, diagnosis, aetiology, prognosis, continuing education, economic evaluation and qualitative research in mental health. Published by the British Psychological Society, the College and the BMJ Publishing Group, the journal surveys a wide range of international medical journals, applying strict criteria for the quality and validity of research. Click here for further information on the role of commentators.

     

  • News on College appointments
    Specialist advisor on Informatics 

    Dr Jonathan Richardson, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry at Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (NTW) has been appointed as our Special Adviser on Informatics, and chair of the Informatics Sub-Committee. The role involves liaising with relevant groups within the Department of Health and the Care Quality Commission, and on advising the College on informatics, funding mechanisms, quality and outcomes.  Dr Richardson led the National Clinical Dashboard pilot in Old Age Psychiatry in NTW and was until recently the North East Strategic Health Authority Clinical Dashboard Clinical Lead. “I welcome the opportunity to work with colleagues to improve the understanding and use of informatics for the benefit of patients. If you are interested in attending the next meeting of the Informatics Sub-committee meeting, contact Shaun Kennedy for details."


    Message from Shanu Datta, newly elected chair, BMA Psychiatry Subcommittee 

    “I am a consultant psychiatrist for older people based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. I have represented the BMA since being a junior doctor, and have extensive experience in Local Negotiating Committees. Amongst others, the Subcommittee will be monitoring issues of recruitment and retention of psychiatrists across the UK, and the impact of the Health and Social Care Bill on mental health commissioning. The BMA is promoting effective engagement by consultants with GP commissioner colleagues. The College and the BMA will sometimes have different perspectives on developments, but I am confident that by building on our already constructive relationship, we can take the profession forward in the most challenging times the NHS has ever known.”


    Professor Hubert Lacey: Master of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers

    “It was an interesting experience: retirement from the NHS one day and becoming Master of a City Livery Company the next! The Worshipful Company of Plaisterers is one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London. The job, which lasts for a year, takes up about three days a week and my main role is to run the Charity.  We have a number of student scholarships, particularly with the Guildhall School of Music, and I’ve used my personal taste to cultivate jazz.  Instead of running a ward-round, I find myself being closely involved with the Lord Mayor, hosting banquets and supporting foreign dignitaries: the psychotherapy required is somewhat similar to my old job!  We have links with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and with all that’s going on in Afghanistan, there is a heavy call on our charitable funds.  I have managed to combine my old life with the new: a major charitable push has been to raise money for beat (the Eating Disorders Charity). I continue my work in research and teaching at the Medical School, and also in my private units.  After thirty-eight years developing the St George’s Eating Disorders Service to be the largest NHS unit in the UK, I needed something spectacular to avoid a grief reaction on retirement: I think I’m lucky to have found it!”

 

  • Parliamentary activities
    RCPsych in Scotland: our manifesto 

    The College in Scotland has been busy working on a Manifesto for the Scottish elections taking place this May. It has already been used in discussions at the recent Scottish Liberal Democrats Conference in Perth, where we hosted a Fringe event using one of the themes of the manifesto, Research and Development.  It will also be used in discussions at the two other Party Conferences later this month. We have sent the document to all the main political parties and a large number of MSPs who have shown an interest in mental health issues.  Later in the month, we will send an electronic copy to every Parliamentary candidate in Scotland.

     
  • The College in the news
    Northern Ireland plans for minimum price for alcohol could save lives 

    The College’s lobbying for a minimum price for alcohol in Northern Ireland paid off, when the Ministers for Social Development and Health announced plans to introduce a floor price at a level to be agreed between 40p and 70p a unit. Dr Philip McGarry, chair of RCPsych in Northern Ireland, was asked to speak at the launch of a consultation on pricing where he highlighted the effects on health, and particularly the links between alcohol abuse and Northern Ireland’s high suicide rate. The College was cited in all media coverage of the event, with Minister Alex Attwood saying he had been convinced by our argument that introducing limits on alcohol promotions would be insufficient. Minimum pricing has been backed by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association and Pubs of Ulster.


    Just out from RCPsych Publications

 

  • Health in the news
    Lib Dem Spring Conference vote on impact of health reforms  

    The government's plans for a health service shake-up potentially faces a radical overhaul after the Lib Dem leadership was forced to bow to the strength of a grassroots rebellion fuelled by fear of privatisation and an undue emphasis on competition. At the recent Lib Dem Conference in Sheffield, party activists secured changes to party policy on the health reforms.  The Lib Dems voted almost unanimously to give councillors a central role in GP commissioning and in scrutinising foundation trusts. They called for a ban on all cherry-picking by private companies offering treatment services.


    Health groups reject 'responsibility deal' on alcohol

    Six leading health groups have dealt the government a blow by refusing to sign up to its new "responsibility deal" on alcohol in England. The deal covers voluntary agreements with the drinks industry on issues such as promotions and labelling, aimed at tackling alcohol abuse. But the organisations, including Alcohol Concern, BMA, the British Liver Trust and the Royal College of Physicians, accused ministers of not being tough enough on the industry.

 

 


Debate in the House of Lords on the mental health strategy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The GMC has launched a major review of its central guidance for doctors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving Mothers’ Lives report – reviewing maternal deaths 2006-2008

 

Other news

 

 

Debate in the House of Lords on the mental health strategy 

College member and crossbencher, Baroness Murphy, recently instigated a debate in the House of Lords on the mental health strategy. The College was mentioned on a number of occasions, primarily its role with the Royal College of General Practitioners in supporting and guiding commissioning.

 

GMC: the start of a national conversation – ‘What makes a good doctor?’

The GMC has launched a major review of its central guidance for doctors. Good Medical Practice sets out the principles and values that all doctors in the UK must follow. The aim is to ensure the guidance is up-to-date, reflects patients’ wishes and is relevant to the UK’s 239,000 registered doctors.  In the first stage of the review, the GMC is looking for initial suggestions on areas where the guidance might be improved and asks how the guidance could be made more relevant for doctors in training and for doctors in non-clinical roles. There will then be a major public consultation on the new draft of the guidance from October 2011 to January 2012. To take part, go to the website before 8 April 2011. .

 

DoH campaign to tackle dementia

A Government campaign to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of dementia has been launched, aimed at challenging misconceptions about the disease. The campaign targets the family and friends of people at risk of dementia who are likely to be the first to see the signs and can encourage their loved one to see their GP.

 

Mapping the dementia gap

The Alzheimer's Society has published their joint study, Mapping the Dementia Gap, with Tesco and Alzheimer Scotland. For the first time the state of dementia diagnosis levels in the UK has been mapped. The study reveals the number of people with dementia in each part of the UK and the percentage who receive a diagnosis.

 

Care Quality Commission: scheme to recognise excellence in adult social care

The CQC has announced plans to develop a new scheme to recognise excellence in adult social care. The scheme - to be launched in April 2012 - will be CQC-owned, but delivered by other organisations under licence. A consultation on how to define excellence in adult social care will be launched in May 2011.

 

Clinical engagement is vital to improve patient safety

An independent evaluation and editorial of the Health Foundation’s safety programme, Safer Patients Initiative, was published in the BMJ and shows that engaging clinicians in improvement programmes is vital to improve safety. The Health Foundation is keen to share their learning with clinicians who are leading quality improvement work and for them to reflect on the learning from this Initiative.

 

Saving Mothers’ Lives report – reviewing maternal deaths 2006-2008

The Eighth Report of the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths, Saving Mothers’ Lives, has found that the overall number of maternal deaths in the UK has fallen over the last three years, despite a rise in the number of women dying from infection. The report also makes 10 key recommendations for policy makers, service commissioners and providers and healthcare professionals on issues relating to pre-pregnancy counselling, pre-existing medical conditions, and specialist clinical care.

 

News from other organisations and the NHS

  • Nuffield Trust: NHS reforms in England: managing the transition
  • New website to support service development for carers
  • NICE: New guidance to tackle alcohol problems
  • Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people
  • Offender personality disorder pathway implementation plan
  • Payment by Results: confirmation of arrangements for 2011-12
  • Raising our sights– the Government response
  • New proposals on special needs
  • More protection for borrowers
  • The functions of GP Commissioning Consortia
  • Healthy Lives, Healthy People: a tobacco control plan for England

  • Innovation in outcomes competition

  • Continued government support for people with learning disabilities

  • Investment for research in the NHS

  • New chair for Monitor

 

 


 

When a man loves a woman

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© 2011 Royal College of Psychiatrists