RCPsych Wales are pleased to announce the formal establishment of the Royal College Mental Health Expert Advisory Group.
The group brings together partners from across health and social care services and will act as a source of impartial, evidenced-based expert advice for Welsh Government, NHS Wales and other stakeholders.
Dai Davies, Royal College of Occupational Therapists said: “RCOT warmly welcomes the formation of RCMHEA and are looking forward to working with our profession colleagues in providing impartial evidence based advices to key stakeholders. Our members work in all areas of mental health practice and are eager to help shape services that meets the needs of citizens 21st century Wales”
The group also aims to ensure a sharper focus and understanding on the current and necessary support for the people we collectively represent in social care and in primary, community, and secondary care mental health services.
This group will complement the work of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and other forums.
The advisory group has established common work areas of Covid Recovery (including workforce wellbeing), the Mental Health Workforce Plan, and Community Mental Health Services as initial priorities. However, this is not exhaustive, and the advisory group will be keen to develop and receive further areas of interest.
Dr Katie Fergus, Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales said: "The work of this group will be hugely important in providing that needed understanding on the current and necessary support for people right across mental health services, this includes ensuring a sharper focus on severe and enduring mental illness amongst many priorities."
The full membership is made up of:
- Royal College of Psychiatrists Wales
- Royal College of Nursing Wales
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists
- Royal College of General Practitioners Wales
- Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Royal College of Physicians
- The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
with a couple of further colleges soon to finalise membership.
Dr Olwen Williams OBE, Royal College of Physicians said: "The pandemic has thrown the NHS workforce crisis into sharp relief. Long hours, rota gaps, unprecedented stress: many doctors have been living on the edge for more than a year now. The mental health and wellbeing of our healthcare workers must be a genuine priority for the NHS from now on, and we’re delighted to be working with this new Expert Advisory Group to make the case for change."
For further information, please contact:
- Email: antonia.fabian@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Contact Name: Annie Fabian