Would you like to be an RCPsych Equality Champion?

Last July, the College set up an equality task force that was put together to combat racial injustice and discrimination and to write our Equality Action Plan which we published in January 2021.

It is well established that there are significant disparities in access, experience and outcome in mental healthcare for those with protected characteristics.

Therefore, we are setting up a new Champions scheme for members to work with us to reduce the inequalities that we know exist.

• Almost 70% of young LGBTQ+ people have experienced suicidal ideas and there are higher rates of suicide in LGBTQ+ populations.
• People in lower income households are more likely to have significant unmet mental health need.
• People from ethnic minority backgrounds are more likely to be detained under section of the Mental Health Act, with Black people being 40% more likely to be admitted via the Criminal Justice System.
• Being a member of an ethnic minority community means a person is far less likely to be offered psychological treatment.
• Doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to progress in their careers and more likely to be referred to the GMC and have negative outcomes from these referrals than their White British counterparts.
• The College’s own research has found that 66% of doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds reported experiencing racism at work.

Equality Champions

We’re looking to establish Equality Champions, who can support, promote and amplify initiatives aimed at achieving equality and equity for all groups through helping with delivering RCPsych’s Equality Action Plan.

The role of the Equality Champion is to engage in local initiatives to promote equality and equity and implement the action plans proposed by the Equality taskforce. The aim is to support improvements in access, experience and outcomes for our patients and to build a diverse and inclusive workforce, where every person is supported to achieve their potential.

We intend to appoint Champions who are based across the UK (one from each Division and Devolved Nation Executive in addition to a representative from the Psychiatric Trainees’ Committee). There will be no more than 24 Champions at any one time.

Equality Champions will be appointed from the executive committee members of the Faculties, Divisions and Devolved Nations.

Please get in touch with the chair of any Faculty or Devolved Nation that you are part of.

If you have any questions about the Champions scheme, please contact our equality team on: equality@rcpsych.co.uk.

Back to our July 2021 eNewsletter.