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Written with input from Professor Sims' wife Dr Ruth Sims and son Dr David Sims.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is saddened to announce that Professor Andrew Sims has passed away at the age of 84. Andrew was the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 1990 to 1993, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Leeds for over 20 years and wrote 15 books. He leaves behind a wife, four children and 12 grandchildren.

Andrew grew up in Exeter before going on to study medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Westminster Medical School. He also did postgraduate training in psychiatry at the University of Manchester, and in Birmingham and later earned an MD qualification from the University of Cambridge in 1974 for his thesis on prognosis in neurotic disorders.

His wife of 58 years, Ruth, was also a psychiatrist. Two of their children went on to study medicine but talk about psychiatry was often banned from the dinner table, so as not to bore the rest of the family. In his free time, he enjoyed walking in the hills, gardening and watching rugby or cricket.

Professor Sims served as Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 1987 to 1990 before becoming President. During this time his mission was to improve standards in psychiatry both in the UK and globally. His book Symptoms in the Mind has become a standard text in the field, three editions of it were eventually published and it was translated into Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Korean and Japanese. Ruth said he was happy to be in a position where he could campaign for change but that he always remained a humble man.

When he was not campaigning for mental health, Andrew was often studying and writing about psychiatry and faith, he was Chair and a long-standing member of the RC Psych Spirituality Special Interest Group. In 2009 he co-edited Spirituality and Psychiatry, which argues, among other things, the importance of the faith of the patient and the need to take a spiritual history. He authored Is Faith Delusion? in the same year and later published Mad or God? in 2018.

This passion for psychiatry was something Andrew took with him everywhere he went. He made it his life’s work to train psychiatrists around the world, and educated people in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa, Zambia and the Czech Republic. Ruth remembered on one occasion he was thrilled to see people in Nepal downloading and studying his book Symptoms in the Mind without permission.

Throughout his distinguished career he received honorary Fellowships of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, the College of Medicine of South Africa and of the Association of European Psychiatrists. He was also a life member of the Pakistan Psychiatric Society, and a Doctor of Medicine from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ruth shared the following tribute to her husband:

“Andrew chose to study psychiatry because he believed it was his calling. He was always full of energy, cheerfulness and compassion. For us as a family, his great sense of humour meant life was always fun with him. But above all we remember his deep love for all of us.”

Andrew’s son David said: “Dad's approach to understanding Psychiatry was based in a lifelong habit of observation. It was also shown in conversation through walks in areas of countryside as well as the day each year when we watched England at the test, either Headingley or more recently Edgbaston. It's apparent from meeting psychiatrists from around the world that his respect for them and his encouragement to show respect to our patients came through in all his interactions.

“He lived his beliefs in many ways. He was very keen to be part of the conversation that explained psychiatry to those of faith as well as advocating for faith to be understood as part of psychiatric practice. It is fitting that this is reflected in his own family not just with a psychiatrist and minister.”

Written with input from Professor Sims' wife Dr Ruth Sims and son Dr David Sims.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is saddened to announce that Professor Andrew Sims has passed away at the age of 84. Andrew was the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 1990 to 1993, a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Leeds for over 20 years and wrote 15 books. He leaves behind a wife, four children and 12 grandchildren.

Andrew grew up in Exeter before going on to study medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Westminster Medical School. He also did postgraduate training in psychiatry at the University of Manchester, and in Birmingham and later earned an MD qualification from the University of Cambridge in 1974 for his thesis on prognosis in neurotic disorders.

His wife of 58 years, Ruth, was also a psychiatrist. Two of their children went on to study medicine but talk about psychiatry was often banned from the dinner table, so as not to bore the rest of the family. In his free time, he enjoyed walking in the hills, gardening and watching rugby or cricket.

Professor Sims served as Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists from 1987 to 1990 before becoming President. During this time his mission was to improve standards in psychiatry both in the UK and globally. His book Symptoms in the Mind has become a standard text in the field, three editions of it were eventually published and it was translated into Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Korean and Japanese. Ruth said he was happy to be in a position where he could campaign for change but that he always remained a humble man.

When he was not campaigning for mental health, Andrew was often studying and writing about psychiatry and faith, he was Chair and a long-standing member of the RC Psych Spirituality Special Interest Group. In 2009 he co-edited Spirituality and Psychiatry, which argues, among other things, the importance of the faith of the patient and the need to take a spiritual history. He authored Is Faith Delusion? in the same year and later published Mad or God? in 2018.

This passion for psychiatry was something Andrew took with him everywhere he went. He made it his life’s work to train psychiatrists around the world, and educated people in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Africa, Zambia and the Czech Republic. Ruth remembered on one occasion he was thrilled to see people in Nepal downloading and studying his book Symptoms in the Mind without permission.

Throughout his distinguished career he received honorary Fellowships of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, the College of Medicine of South Africa and of the Association of European Psychiatrists. He was also a life member of the Pakistan Psychiatric Society, and a Doctor of Medicine from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Ruth shared the following tribute to her husband:

“Andrew chose to study psychiatry because he believed it was his calling. He was always full of energy, cheerfulness and compassion. For us as a family, his great sense of humour meant life was always fun with him. But above all we remember his deep love for all of us.”

Andrew’s son David said: “Dad's approach to understanding Psychiatry was based in a lifelong habit of observation. It was also shown in conversation through walks in areas of countryside as well as the day each year when we watched England at the test, either Headingley or more recently Edgbaston. It's apparent from meeting psychiatrists from around the world that his respect for them and his encouragement to show respect to our patients came through in all his interactions.

“He lived his beliefs in many ways. He was very keen to be part of the conversation that explained psychiatry to those of faith as well as advocating for faith to be understood as part of psychiatric practice. It is fitting that this is reflected in his own family not just with a psychiatrist and minister.”