Update from the Registrar: Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis

Council in September approved the document,  Safe Patients High Quality Services – a guide to job descriptions and job plans. 

This was widely consulted on and sets up to date parameters for consultant workload.  I hope it will be a helpful document in guiding employers as to what is an acceptable workload for consultant psychiatrists.  It should also help consultant psychiatrists in discussions about their job plans to know the standards that the College has set which will enable them to deliver safe, high quality care. Read more…

The membership survey that was completed by 128 attendees at the International Congress in Liverpool identified the 3 top things they valued at the College as:

1. The College’s importance as the professional body for psychiatrists.
2. Free access to British Journal of Psychiatry, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment and The Psychiatrist.
3. The College role in advocating for improvement in mental health care. 

As you would expect, the free text box comments of what members would like the College to focus on, varied greatly, but, there was a theme of focussing the work of the College on issues of direct benefit to Members and Fellows including supporting members with revalidation, ensuring psychiatrists are seen as Leaders within their services and supporting psychiatrists through change and when services are under pressure. There was a recognition of the need to continue to advocate for standards for our patients and supporting Trainees.

Members should know that the College now has a real focus on Leadership. We have recently appointed Fiona Mason, Medical Director at St Andrews, as Associate Registrar for Leadership and Management. We are the largest speciality in the new Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and had a very successful breakfast meeting at the Faculty Conference attended by 80 psychiatrists.  The International Congress in Edinburgh (2-5 July 2013), will have many sessions on Leadership and Management.  Another date to put in your diaries is 21 March 2013 when there will be a conference on the practical aspects of leadership for psychiatrists.

I am pleased that the College’s campaign to increase the number of specialty doctors joining the College as Affiliates has proved very successful. Numbers are at an all time high of 700 plus. Dr Raj Iyer has been appointed as the new Chair of the Specialty Doctors’ Committee (see this month’s eNewsletter). These Doctors often feel undervalued and supporting and valuing this group of psychiatrists will be an important focus for the coming year.

If anyone wishes to contact me on these or other issues concerning policy, standards, public education or membership relations, please email.