Digital Psychiatry SIG Annual Conference 2026 - Technology, Trust and Mental Health: Balancing Innovation with Safety
Online event
| Timings | 9:00 AM - 1:45 PM |
| Location | Virtual event, Online |
| CPD | 1 CPD point per hour of content, subject to peer approval |
| Non-Member | £119 |
|---|---|
| Consultant | £90 |
| SAS Doctor / Resident (Higher) | £66 |
| Resident (Core) / Medical Student / Foundation Doctor / Subsidised and Retired Member | £42 |
Event Information
The Digital Psychiatry Special Interest Group is delighted to announce its annual conference, taking place online on Friday 18 September 2026.
The conference will explore the growing role of digital technology in psychiatry, examining its impact, opportunities, challenges, and future directions. We are excited to welcome a range of expert speakers and thought leaders in the field.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Dr Asif Bachlani – RCPsych Associate Registrar for Digital Mental Health
- Dr Paul Bradley – RCPsych Associate Registrar for Digital Mental Health
- Dr Rob Waller – Consultant Psychiatrist
- Dr Hamilton Morrin - Wellcome Doctoral Fellow, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
| Time | Session and Speaker |
|---|---|
| 9:00AM - 9:10AM | Welcome and Introduction Dr Faith Ndebele, Chair, Digital Psychiatry Special Interest Group |
| Session 1 | |
| 9:10AM - 9:40AM | Embedding Lived Experience in Mental Health Policy Development at the MHRA: An Example of Good Practice from a Wellcome-Funded Project Holly Coole, Senior Manager, Digital Mental Health, MHRA & Lived Experience Advisors |
| 9:40AM - 10:00AM | Digital Transformation and the Future NHS Dr Asif Bachlani, Divisional Medical Director, Cygnet and RCPsych Joint Associate Registrar for Digital Mental Health |
| 10:00AM - 10:20AM | A Day in the Life of a Trust CCIO Dr Paul Bradley, CCIO, Consultant Psychiatrist and RCPsych Joint Associate Registrar for Mental Health |
| 10:20AM - 10:35AM | Q&A Discussion |
| 10:35AM - 10:55AM | Break |
| Session 2 Chair: Dr Torsten Wrigley, Events Lead, Digital Psychiatry SIG | |
| 10:55AM - 11:20AM | Pecha Kucha: Rapid-Fire Presentations Introduced by Dr Zain Hussain. A series of concise and engaging presentations showcasing innovative digital mental health projects, research, and service developments. |
| 11:20AM - 11:40AM | Digital Tartan: What's New in Scotland? Dr Rob Waller, Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Director of Medical Education |
| 11:40AM - 12:00PM | The Patient Hasn't Changed. The Map Has. Psychiatry in the Age of Abundant Digital Intelligence Arsalan Shahid, Director of Applied Research, Brightbeam AI |
| 12:00PM - 12:05PM | Announcement of Pecha Kucha Winner |
| 12:05PM - 12:15PM | Break |
| Session 3 Chair: Dr Antonio Lains, Consultant Psychiatrist and Digital SIG Executive Committee Member | |
| 12:15PM - 12:35PM | Understanding the Benefits and Risks of AI Mental Health Support Through Public and Lived Experience Perspectives Rachel Hastings-Caplan, Clinical Research Policy Manager, Rethink Mental Illness |
| 12:35PM - 1:05PM | AI and Mental Health Dr Hamilton Morrin, Wellcome Doctoral Fellow, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London |
| 1:05PM - 1:35PM | Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A |
| 1:35PM | Closing Remarks and Conference Conclusion Dr Faith Ndebele, Chair, Digital Psychiatry Special Interest Group |
Following its popularity in previous years, our Pecha Kucha session returns for 2026.
We invite submissions from anyone working at the intersection of mental health and technology. This is an opportunity to showcase:
- Innovative digital projects
- Research findings
- Service developments
- Quality improvement initiatives
- Other work related to digital mental health
Presentations should follow the Pecha Kucha format: 20 slides × 20 seconds per slide - a fast-paced and engaging way to share ideas.
Submission deadline: 1 September 2026
Notification of outcome: 4 September 2026
Send your submission to sigs@rcpsych.ac.uk, subject line Pecha Kucha 2026 Submission. Please include your name and grade.
Bookings for this event will close Thursday 17 September at 2pm.
We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
This event will be recorded and available to all registered delegates to watch on demand. The recording will be available within one week of the live event taking place and will be emailed out to all registered delegates. The recording will be available to watch for three months from the event taking place.
We ask that all delegates ensure that their email address associated with their membership account is correct and up to date as this is where all correspondence will be sent.
Please note this webinar recording will not be available to purchase post-event.