About HoPSIG

• Raise awareness of the value of understanding the history of psychiatry.
• Encourage research into the history of psychiatry, including the history of the RCPsych.
• Be a forum for psychiatrists wishing to research HoP, to find others with shared interests and to discuss research ideas and work in progress.
• Facilitate networking with academic historians.
• Welcome non-College members who are interested in HoP, including people with medical and non-medical backgrounds.
• Keep people informed via a webpage and newsletter.
• Organise workshops and conferences about the history of psychiatry, including about historical methodology and resources.
• Organise history sessions at annual International Congress, and with Faculties and Divisions.
• Liaise with, and support, the RCPsych archives department, e.g. producing exhibitions, introducing online systems to facilitate archive access.

• Graham Ash – Co-Chair 
• Peter Carpenter – Co-Chair
• Caroline Hayes – Honorary Secretary, Competition Co-ordinator
• Tom Stephenson – Financial Officer
• Francis Maunze – Archivist
• Fiona Watson – Library and Archives Manager
• Nicol Ferrier – Newsletter Editor in Chief
• Lydia Thurston – Newsletter Editor
• John Hall – Newsletter Editor
• Mutahira Qureshi - Newsletter Editor
• Claire Hilton – Honorary Archivist
• Grace O'Regan – Competition Co-ordinator
• Gordon Bates – Historian in Residence, Social Media Editor
• George Ikkos – Past Chair
  
• Mohammed Ibrahim 
  
• Rachel Jenkins 
• John Mason 
• Alastair Robson
• Angela Rouncefield
• Marius Turda
• Wendy Wang 
• Jane Whittaker
• Ute Oswald 
  

Please see under Newsletters if you would like to write for our newsletter.

We are also on twitter @rcpsychHoPSIG

Send your research queries and ideas to Claire Hilton if you would like to see them posted on our site.

The competition for 2025 is now closed. Details of the competition for 2026 will be listed on this page once announced. 

Please send entries and any questions to chair.hopsig@rcpsych.ac.uk.

• Deadline: The deadline for entries in 2026 will be announced towards the end of this year.
• Eligibility: The competition is open to a) members of HoPSIG and b) psychiatrists at any level of experience and training and c) academics, researchers and students of medicine, the medical humanities and history.
• Prize: £100 and the chance to present your work at ta HoPSIG meeting.