From the President August 2026

I’m pleased to introduce Across the College, a new segment highlighting recent news and activities from RANZCP Branches and the New Zealand National Office. This month, we feature highlights from Aotearoa New Zealand, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

More than a year after the launch of the RANZCP’s Lived and Living Experience Strategy, implementation is progressing, with important foundations now in place to strengthen the way lived and living experience informs our work. Two Senior Advisor positions, representing consumer and carer perspectives, have been established, while lived experience representation has been expanded across key College committees. Work is also progressing to incorporate lived experience expertise into curriculum development, including the New Fellowship Program and Formal Education Courses, as well as into grant and scholarship processes. There is still considerable work ahead. The next phase will include further education opportunities for Chairs, members and staff, and developing consistent guidelines for community consultation. 

In September, the Australian Medical Council will visit the College as part of its accreditation of the RANZCP training program. The AMC will meet with selected committee members, trainees, Fellows and staff to hear about their experience of training and the College’s improvement activities. These conversations help us maintain the quality of psychiatric training and reflect honestly on what’s working well and where further improvement is needed. I thank everyone who has contributed their expertise and experience to this process.

For trainees, the launch of the new education library is another practical step forward. The library brings together resources aligned to the Fellowship Program competencies, including Learnit modules, podcasts, position statements and clinical guidelines. It’s a useful starting point to explore areas of study and build knowledge throughout training. I encourage trainees to explore the library and provide feedback as it develops.

September also brings an important opportunity to focus on doctor wellbeing. R U OK? Day coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September, a day that reminds us of the importance of suicide prevention and the need to support those who may be struggling. The College will mark the day with a webinar on The knowing-doing gap in doctor wellbeing: A call for psychiatric leadership. We all understand the importance of wellbeing yet translating that understanding into sustainable changes remains a significant challenge. Dr Susannah Bond, Dr Jessica Yang and Professor Andrew Teodorczuk will examine why individual wellbeing interventions continue to dominate despite growing evidence that many drivers of doctor distress are systemic. I encourage all members to join the discussion.

Prioritising your own wellbeing can take different forms. At Congress, we spoke with trainees about how they look after themselves during training. For one trainee it was about learning to ask questions without worrying about seeming incompetent. Another described the importance of finding time for life beyond medicine, including returning to Country to surf and spearfish. These reflections are a valuable reminder of the importance of connection and maintaining the things that sustain us.

Our members continue to demonstrate their passion and commitment to improving mental health outcomes for the communities we serve. Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Ken Kirkby on his Meritorious Service Award, recognising his longstanding contribution to psychiatry in Tasmania. I also congratulate Dr Jill Pettigrew, the first recipient of the NT Branch Meritorious Service Award, acknowledging her commitment to psychiatric practice and the Northern Territory community. Dr Jessica Kinder’s account of life as a consultant psychiatrist in private practice provides another valuable perspective on the diversity of psychiatric careers.

The College’s international connections continue to grow through the International Forensic Psychiatry Conference, being held in Bengaluru, India from 2–5 November. Co-hosted by the RANZCP Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry and NIMHANS, the conference will bring together colleagues to explore contemporary forensic psychiatry and strengthen collaboration between Australia and India. Such opportunities allow us to learn from different systems and perspectives by fostering academic, clinical, and policy-level collaboration.

The Faculty of Psychotherapy will also hold its 2026 Conference, Beyond the algorithm: Psychotherapy in everyday care, inviting us to consider how medical psychotherapeutic practice both leverages and transcends manuals, checklists, and apps, not by rejecting them, but by honouring the complexity of human experience within every therapeutic encounter. I encourage members to take the opportunity to join the conversation.

As always, I am grateful to everyone who contributes their time and expertise, and I look forward to continuing this work together.

Dr Astha Tomar
President