RCPsych eNewsletter

February 2021

Welcome to our eNewsletter for members

In this issue we discuss the impending deadline for early bird registration for this year's Congress, the latest on the COVID-19 vaccine, and we celebrate the life of Dame Fiona Caldicott after her recent passing.

The latest from the Devolved Nations

The College has made a number of positive steps in its work. This includes delivering a  wholly online winter meeting, with a record number of attendees. Responses from attendees were also very positive, citing the professional delivery of the event. The College has engaged extensively around the Scottish 2021-22 Budget, highlighting the need for increased mental health investment, and met with the minister for mental Health to discuss its policy priorities. It also successfully campaigned around resourcing to CAMSH through survey of its CAP faculty.

Read more news from RCPsych in Scotland

We met with the Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language to discuss topics on workforce pressures and forecasting and the response to Covid. We also highlighted the support that needs to be place for people with SMI.

We were delighted to partner with Improvement Cymru to host the virtual Wales International Dementia Conference. The event attracted over 700 registrants from around the globe.

The First Minister for Wales, Professor Mark Drakeford highlighted the RCPsych Wales endorsed CWTCH project for its successes at Senedd plenary (Video), and noted that it recently won the Team of the Year award of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Read more news from RCPsych in Wales

Other news from around the College

The Psychiatrists' Support Service (PSS) provides free, rapid, high quality peer support by telephone to psychiatrists of all grades who may be experiencing personal or work-related difficulties. Our service is totally confidential and delivered by trained Peer Support Psychiatrists (PSPs). Our PSPs are from diverse backgrounds and have received training in many different areas, to improve their understanding and ability to support all those who call the PSS. As a service, we are aware that the difficulties faced by doctors vary enormously. We will support you through whatever they may be, including burnout, workplace bullying and discrimination, serious incidents, as well as coping with stress and change. Our support service manager and our PSPs will talk with you in confidence, without stigma or prejudice.

The service can be contacted by phone on 020 8618 4020 or by email at pss@rcpsych.ac.uk.

Earlier this month, the College published its current statement on the cost of training and examinations. The Royal College of Psychiatrists sets the MRCPsych examination with the aim of improving and maintaining the highest standards of psychiatric training and practice. In order to achieve these high standards, continual assessment and research is conducted on all areas of the examination including procedure, assessment content, marking, logistics and standardising.

Read the latest statement