Dean's Quarterly Updates

March 2026 update

Dear member,

Welcome to the first Dean’s Quarterly Update of 2026 – and my last one as Dean!

I’m proud of the steps forward we’ve taken in terms of education and training at College over the last five years.

The range of opportunities and support for our members at all career stages has improved tremendously and I’d like to thank the College staff team as well as all those of you who have given your effort, energy and experience to making these improvements happen.

This issue is a testament to the strides we’ve made. As well as booking your tickets for this year’s International Congress and the National Resident Doctors’ Conference, there’s a vast array of learning opportunities, including eLearning courses and podcasts, certification courses, international diplomas, and more.

There are also updates on some important matters: arrangements for retaking Paper B for those who need to, following the 12 Feb diet; national recruitment and selection processes; the Portfolio Pathway; and a Task and Finish Group set up looking at the role of Medical Professional Approved Clinicians working within the multi-disciplinary team;

A Task and Finish Group is also being set up to look at the findings of the Medical Training Review in England, but affecting the whole of the UK.

I'm also delighted to say we've launched a toolkit developed to provide practical guidance for neurodivergent psychiatrists in training and those responsible for their education.

On a different note, I have been working with Professor Rohit Shankir, Associate Dean for Academic Psychiatric Training, and Professor Allan Young, Academic Faculty Chair, to develop an RCPsych Academic Strategy which is now passing through the necessary College processes. This strategy will set out a coherent framework, structured around seven strategic pillars, to address workforce capacity, translation and innovation, funding and research impact, regional equity, diversity and retention, training and education, governance and accountability. These pillars will provide a practical and ambitious roadmap to rebuild academic psychiatry, embed a research-active culture across the profession, and ensure that psychiatric research delivers measurable benefits for patients, services and society.

Finally, but very importantly, the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill has received Royal Assent and is now law. You can read about it on the NHS website – and we released a College statement setting out our position on it, which you may be interested to read.

I hope this round-up has been useful.

With best wishes,

Professor Subodh Dave
Dean, RCPsych

Headlines

International Congress: tickets available at early bird rate

Registration for this year’s International Congress in Liverpool is now open. Book today at the early bird rate and save £100.

Make your mind up to play Mindmasters

We’re looking for teams to participate in our fantastic Congress-opening quiz, Mindmasters. Enter a team and get a contribution towards your Congress travel costs.

Thrive in Psychiatry: National Resident Doctors' Conference 2026

Sign up to attend the 2026 National Resident Doctors’ Conference in Newcastle. This year’s theme is ‘Thrive in Psychiatry’.

International Diploma in Older Adults’ Mental Health

We’re pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2026/27 cohort of the RCPsych International Diploma in Older Adults’ Mental Health, beginning September 2026.

International Certification course in Dementia

Register your interest for our Dementia Certification Course, to equip you with the latest evidence-based knowledge and practical skills in dementia prevention, assessment, and management.

Submitting your CPD via CPD Submissions

Our new CPD guidance and updated portal is now available. The guidance includes new requirements related to remaining in good standing as well as all the information you require to complete your submission.

Helping neurodivergent doctors thrive: an inclusion and support framework

We are pleased to launch a toolkit developed to provide practical guidance for neurodivergent Psychiatrists in training and those responsible for their education.

Training Governance in the Independent Sector (Lead Employer Model)

We’ve developed a support tool to aid in the structured and safe integration of resident doctors into training placements within the Independent Sector under the Lead Employer Model.

RCPsych eLearning

• CPD eLearning update: See a round-up of all the new CPD eLearning content we’ve released since the last quarterly update.
• MRCPsych eLearning update: Our newest resource for candidates preparing for the MRCPsych exams, the Paper A: Practice Paper, is now live!
• Big Questions in Psychiatry podcast: Our latest episode, 'Can medications ever help psychiatric disorders?' was the most popular CPD eLearning podcast in January.
• RCPsychLearn update: New for 2026, our popular in-person Clinical and Educational Supervisor Training course has been recreated as a self-directed course.

National Recruitment and Selection Processes update

The College’s National Recruitment and Selection Processes Task & Finish Group continues to review selection methods for Core Psychiatry Training, considering both efficacy and operational feasibility of any proposed changes.

Quality in Training report 2025

The report sets out the major achievements and developments across psychiatric education and training – from curriculum updates to workforce support and national survey insights, it captures a year of continued improvement and strengthened training standards.

Have your say on Multi-Professional Approved Clinicians (MPACs)

The MPAC Task and Finish Group has been set up to review and create guidance on how multidisciplinary teams with MPACs can work best to provide good mental health care to patients.

Paper B – Arrangements following 12 Feb exam

On 12 February 2026 there was a technical error in the 2026-1 Paper B exam which prevented candidates from ‘flagging for review’ several questions and revisiting them at the end of the exam.

Portfolio Pathway update

Read an update on the Portfolio Pathway and why you might like to volunteer to become a Portfolio Pathway Evaluator.

Formative Assessment update

We’re delighted to confirm that Formative Assessment updates will go live in August 2026. Read a full overview of what’s changing and how the new approach will be rolled out. Keep an eye out for upcoming webinars and resources that will guide you through the changes.