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As a professional member organisation for psychiatrists, we:

• support psychiatrists throughout their careers - from training through to retirement
• set and raise standards of psychiatry in the United Kingdom
• promote excellent mental health services
• train psychiatrists
• promote quality research
• act as the voice of psychiatry in the UK.

See our About the College page for more information about the College.

• We don't take complaints against or discipline psychiatrists. Please visit the General Medical Council (GMC) website to make a complaint.

• We aren't able to provide a list of, or recommend psychiatrists. We do have a list of current members.

• We can't offer consultations or personal advice – we do not have psychiatrists based in the College. Please see your GP in the first instance, who will be able to discuss this more with you.

If you are in crisis and have hurt yourself or are thinking about hurting yourself:

• call 999
• go to A&E if you can
• call your mental health crisis team

Find out more about where to get urgent help for mental health on the NHS website.

If you aren’t sure what kind of help you need, you can call 111 or use NHS 111 online (England, Scotland and Wales). In Northern Ireland, you can call the crisis response line, Lifeline, at 0808 808 8000.

If the support you need is less urgent, you can also speak to your GP or mental health team.

You can also contact the following organisations if you need to speak to someone:

• Samaritans – Samaritans offers listening and support to people in times of need. They are open 24/7.
  • call 116 123
  • email jo@samaritans.org.uk
• Childline – Childline is a free, confidential support service for people under the age of 19. Support is available 24/7.
  • Call 0800 1111
  • 1-2-1 counsellor chat
• SANEline - SANEline is a national mental health helpline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness.
  • call 0300 304 7000 (this phone line is open from 4-10pm every day of the year)
  • Outside of these hours, you can leave a voice message on 0300 124 7900 to get a call-back.

Most private psychiatrists would still prefer a referral from your GP. 

Your GP may be able to recommend psychiatrists who practise privately. Local private hospitals may also be able to advise you about this. 

Some psychiatrists may advertise online. If they have the title 'MRCPsych' (Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) or ‘FRCPsych’ (Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists), this means they’re current members of the College.

The College can't recommend psychiatrists or provide a list of names. To find a psychiatrist, ask your GP or local hospital.

You can get lists of local GPs or hospitals from your pharmacist or on the NHS website.

The College can't recommend psychiatrists or provide a list of names.

Solicitors can search through the lists of psychiatrists that are registered with any of the following websites:

• UK Register of Expert Witnesses
• Expert Witness
• Expert Witness Institute

We’re not the disciplinary body for our members and can’t deal with complaints about psychiatrists.
You or someone you trust can write to or speak with your psychiatrist to tell them how you feel.

If you’re unhappy with their response, you can complain to their employer, clinic or hospital using their complaints procedure.

If the complaint is to report serious misconduct, you can complain to the General Medical Council: 0161 923 6602.

The last step in dealing with unresolved complaints is to contact the Health Service Ombudsman (Tel: 0345 015 4033), who serves as a final arbiter.

Please see our making a complaint page.

If you have concerns about a hospital, care home or health service, you should contact them first and follow their complaints procedure.

If you’re still unhappy, share your experience with the body which is responsible for the inspection of health and social care in your area:

• England - Care Quality Commission (Tel: 03000 616161) 
• Scotland - Care Inspectorate (Tel: 0345 600 9527) 
• Wales - Care Inspectorate Wales (Tel: 0300 7900 126) 
• Northern Ireland - Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Tel: 028 9051 7500) 

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the professional medical body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their careers from training through to retirement, and in setting and raising standards of psychiatry in the United Kingdom.

We work to secure the best outcomes for people with mental illness, learning disabilities and developmental disorders by promoting excellent mental health services, training outstanding psychiatrists, promoting quality and research, setting standards and being the voice of psychiatry.

Find out more about what we do.

To see a psychiatrist, you will usually need a referral from your general practitioner (GP), in the same way you would with any other specialist.

Within the NHS, most referrals will go to the mental health team. Initially, you may be seen by a team member who is not a psychiatrist. If the team member feels that you ought to see a psychiatrist, they'll arrange an appointment for you.

Most private psychiatrists would still prefer a referral from your GP.

Your GP may be able to recommend psychiatrists who practise privately. Local private hospitals may also be able to advise you about this.

Some psychiatrists may advertise online. If they have the title 'MRCPsych' (Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) or ‘FRCPsych’ (Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists), this means they’re current members of the College.

Outside the UK, you’ll be able to find which psychiatric organisation is relevant to your country by looking at the World Psychiatric Association website.