Annual meeting of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists
6th – 9th July, Harrogate International Conference
Centre
The Royal College of Psychiatrists will pledge today to make
mandatory the involvement of patients and carers in
psychiatric
education.
"Although there are already some areas of the country where
the input of patients and carers into the training of psychiatrists
is successfully in place", says Dr Mike Shooter, President of the
Royal College of Psychiatrists, the College is committed to
ensuring that their involvement in psychiatric training becomes
mandatory. We are very keen to take this initiative forward, ahead
of possible forthcoming external national requirements.
"The proposal to involve carers in the training of
psychiatrists is a major component of this year's joint campaign
with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Partners in Care: working
together to make a real difference*. This proposal has been
universally welcomed at the many carers' meetings which I have
attended over the last year or so", continued Dr Shooter.
There is already expertise available in many parts of the
country. However, the College's commitment to bring this practice
into routine psychiatric training will present services with a
number of challenges and difficulties in some places. We are
therefore planning, in collaboration with The Princess Royal Trust
for Carers, a number of training activities and the development of
other resources to support this initiative.
For further information, please contact Liz Fox or Deborah
Hart in the Communications Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127