Who are we?
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the main professional body
for psychiatrists in the UK. It has a world-wide membership.
Why do we produce leaflets?
Public education is one of the central tasks of the
College. We believe that everyone needs knowledge to make informed
decisions about their health. We therefore aim to produce
information which is:
- evidence-based
- accessible
- up-to-date.
Don't they just give a doctor's view of
things?
Psychiatrists are doctors, but we do try to take a broader view of
mental health disorders and their treatments. Much of the
information we produce suggests ways of keeping yourself mentally
well and of helping yourself.
How are the leaflets written?
They are written by psychiatrists who are members of the College's
Public Education Editorial Board. They collaborate with an expert
(or experts) in the field and with members of the College's
Service User Recovery and Carers' Forums. We
are also grateful to the psychiatrists, College staff and others
who have helped to check and translate the leaflets for
accuracy.
Do they meet internet health information
standards?
They are checked to make sure they meet:
- DISCERN criteria
: in our opinion, these are the best available guidelines for high
quality health information.
Are they up to date?
- We review our paper leaflet every 2 to 3 years.
- We update the web versions more regularly to reflect any
important changes in knowledge.
The Information Standard
What's the point of the feedback section?
We use the feedback to help us update and re-edit the
leaflets. We also appreciate the many
helpful comments we receive.
Who pays for all this?
- The editors are not paid. They are allowed to do this sort of
work for a period each week by their employers - universities or
health trusts.
- We do not accept pharmaceutical sponsorship for the printing of
our leaflets
- We accept some funding from charitable trusts and
foundations.
- The College allocates a budget each year to cover some of the
printing, designing and marketing costs.
- Income is generated by the bulk sale of the paper versions
which goes back into the production of new materials.
What's the point of paper leaflets?
It can be easier to have a paper version to refer to whenever you
want. They are half-A5 size which means they will fit in a pocket
or a handbag. Check at the top of the web page to see if the
leaflet is available in print.
How do I get a paper version?
Individual copies of our leaflets are free, but please
send an A5 stamped (30p postage) addressed envelope to:
Leaflets Department, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 17
Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PG. Tel: + 44 0(207) 235 2351 ext.
6259; e-mail:
leaflets@rcpsych.ac.uk.
You don't have what I'm looking for
At the end of each leaflet we provide references so you can check
out our information or find more detailed information. If you have
any suggestions for leaflets that you would like us to develop,
please e-mail us at
dhart@rcpsych.ac.uk
October 2010