Every day, I see the commitment, expertise and passion that members put into the work which strengthens the profession of psychiatry. Whether through their day-to-day work in some very stretched public and private health systems or with advocacy, policy developments, education and ongoing professional development, it’s that contribution which helps shape the direction of psychiatry. That collective effort is our strength.

The College continues to elevate its voice on critical issues affecting psychiatry and patient care. From workforce shortages to safe and evidence-based use of medications and therapies, we have strengthened our advocacy and policy presence to promote affordable and accessible high quality psychiatric care.

I’m delighted to share that the College has been successful in its campaign for a label extension for lamotrigine in bipolar disorder. This outcome reflects sustained, evidence-driven advocacy and close collaboration between our Policy and Advocacy team, the Committee for Evidence Based Practice and the Section of Private Practice Psychiatry Committee which liaised with the Therapeutic Goods Administration on the College’s strategic priorities regarding medications. This process involved formally providing a response to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in their consideration for the label extension for lamotrigine.

A label extension of lamotrigine opens new treatment options for patients living with bipolar disorder and reaffirms the College’s commitment to supporting and caring for the most vulnerable in our communities. We will continue our advocacy efforts to expand access to other essential medications with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Te Pātaka Whaioranga (Pharmac) for people living with severe and complex mental health conditions.

ADHD prescribing reforms have featured prominently in national and state discourse across both countries. The College – through our NZ National Office, state and territory branches and federally – has actively advocated with governments and stakeholders including the AMA, RACP and RACGP, in line with our position statement. We have supported reforms where safeguards, training and shared care models are strong, and have spoken clearly where proposals risk safety or continuity of care.  We have also reminded governments that constrained access to ADHD assessment and treatment is not an isolated issue, but a symptom of broader underinvestment and fragmentation across mental health systems, which requires systemic reform rather than piecemeal change.

In Victoria, the government announced its transition to GP-led ADHD care models, in line with other states. RANZCP Victorian Branch Chair, Dr Simon Stafrace spoke at the press conference with Premier Jacinta Allan and the RACGP, and welcomed the move with critical safeguards in place. However, the Victorian Branch strongly opposed the subsequent announcement allowing virtual EDs to refill ADHD medication scripts for up to six months. Dr Stafrace discussed these issues further in the Herald Sun, The Australian, AusDoc and on ABC Radio Melbourne.

In NSW, the government announced its transition to Phase 2 of the GP-led ADHD care model, with authorised GPs able to diagnose and treat ADHD from March. NSW Branch Chair Dr Ian Korbel emphasised that enabling GPs to treat ADHD alone won't resolve every challenge in access to mental health care in the state. President Elect, Dr Angelo Virgona also spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about the changes. A warm welcome to the position, Dr Korbel, and thank you to Dr Pramudie Gunaratne for your leadership as Chair over the past 20 months.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, GPs began treating ADHD from February. Tū Te Akaaka Roa NZ National Office committee member, Dr David Chinn, spoke with Radio New Zealand, 1News and Newstalk ZB about the need for greater GP training in ADHD management.

Our South Australian Branch continues to influence tangible improvements in the state, including an announcement earlier this week of a commitment to build three dedicated mental health assessment units and open 44 mental health beds at Modbury Hospital. The Branch has long advocated for both initiatives as critical improvements to South Australia's mental health system. We have also joined other medical Colleges in the state to campaign for an overarching health strategy in the lead up to the state election as part of the SA College Chairs Committee, chaired by Dr Patrick Clarke. 

Prebudget submissions across the states and federal levels are another opportunity to influence the systems and help governments realise significant opportunities and gaps to drive sustainable reform, improve equity of access, and invest strategically in a more integrated mental health system.

In other news, I’m pleased to announce that the new Certificate of Advanced Training in Youth Psychiatry has been approved by the Board and will be launched later this year. The Section of Youth Psychiatry is working with College staff to operationalise the program, with the first intake planned for Rotation 2, 2026. I thank the Section committee members, Chair Dr Daniel Pellen and Dr Eddie Mullen, for their valuable contributions and commitment to bringing this important initiative to fruition.

As members know, the New Fellowship Program Taskforce has commenced work on a future-focused Fellowship model, including how subspecialist capabilities should be embedded going forward. To avoid fragmented or piecemeal changes to education and training, the Board has agreed to pause progression of additional new advanced certificates for the time being. This decision does not diminish our strong commitment to supporting and advancing various subspecialist areas of practice. The work already undertaken will be integrated into the development of the revised Fellowship program.

College committees remain central in driving progress across all areas of work, and I am deeply grateful to all those who contribute their time and expertise in these roles – be it our members, our community and lived and living experience committee members, our First Nations people, and staff who are equally committed to the outcomes and impact of that work. Importantly, we have recently introduced significant updates to our Committee Meeting Operations and Elections Regulations to better recognise and support invaluable contributions across life stages and responsibilities.

Committee members can now take up to 12 months of approved leave – including parental leave or leave for carer responsibilities – without having to resign from their committee position. It affirms that contribution is valued over time, not measured by uninterrupted availability, and it helps ensure experienced and committed members remain connected to College work. I see this as a meaningful step towards a more inclusive and sustainable leadership culture and an engaged membership.

Lastly, the Australian Government has introduced legislation that will allow the government to publish details about what individual specialists charge for particular medical services. It will allow the Medical Cost Finder website to provide information down to the individual specialist using Medicare, hospital and insurer billing data already collected by the government. No timelines have been provided with regards to implementation and we will keep members informed as further details become available.

Stay safe and stay connected.

Dr Astha Tomar
President