As we approach the end of 2025, and on behalf of the Board and College Executive leadership, we write with immense gratitude for your dedication and ongoing contributions to psychiatry across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. This has been a year of thoughtful reflection, meaningful progress and strategic action, as we continue to strengthen our College and advocate for our profession and the communities we serve.

Building an inclusive and supportive College

At last week’s meeting, the Board approved redefining the membership period for Early Career Psychiatrists from five to seven years. This significant change aligns the College with World Psychiatric Association (WPA) guidelines and reflects a commitment to supporting the professional growth of psychiatrists as they move from trainee to consultant. In October 2024, the Section of Early Career Psychiatrists communicated this recommendation to the Chairs of the Membership Engagement Committee and the Bi-national Committee for Trainees. Subsequently, both committees endorsed the proposal at their committee meetings.

One of our Board’s earliest commitments this term was progressing a meaningful and transparent pathway for longstanding Affiliate members to achieve Fellowship. At our meeting last week, the Board approved new regulations to support the lifecycle of the Affiliate membership category, from application to retired status. The RANZCP Affiliate membership category is designed to ensure that specialist psychiatrists who have come from countries around the world are recognised, included and supported as vital contributors to the psychiatry workforce in Australia and Aotearoa. These efforts reflect our evolving and inclusive approach to all members, and to further embed equity and opportunity across the College.

We also changed our membership criteria so that SIMG candidates on the Substantial or Partial Comparability Specialist Pathway to Fellowship will automatically become Associate Members of the College gaining access to a wide range of professional benefits. This significant step reflects our deep appreciation of the valuable contributions all SIMGs make to our profession and College.

The RANZCP Mentoring Program is a highly valued initiative that strengthens our profession by fostering meaningful connections between experienced psychiatrists and those earlier in their careers across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 2020, the program has facilitated over 500 mentoring partnerships, creating a strong culture of collegial support across diverse practice settings. Applications for the 2026 Mentoring Program are now open and close on 30 January 2026.

Our advocacy and influence

Throughout 2025, the College has elevated its voice on critical issues affecting psychiatry and patient care. From workforce shortages highlighted across media and government channels, to advocating for best practices in medications and therapies, we have strengthened our voice to promote affordable and accessible psychiatric care.

We are advocating strongly for best practice approaches on Clozapine ANC monitoring, consistent with current international guidance. We’re engaging with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Te Pātaka Whaioranga (Pharmac) to ensure current Clozapine ANC monitoring protocols are updated to align with international best practices, reduce unnecessary healthcare burden, and improve access to clozapine for people living with schizophrenia.

Our Section of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Neurostimulation Committee has continued to advocate for increased funded MBS sessions for rTMS. We had previously raised serious concerns about treatment being limited to 15 sessions per lifetime, and the exclusion of patients who have had treatment in the past. Following sustained advocacy by the College, the Australian Department of Health, Disability, and Aging have indicated that they welcome working with us to progress a submission to the Medical Services Advisory Committee on rTMS MBS items.

Additionally, the College has been advocating for a label extension for lamotrigine in bipolar disorder under the expertise and guidance from the Committee for Evidence Based Practice, Section of Private Practice Psychiatry Committee and Members Advisory Council. A label extension of lamotrigine opens new treatment paths for patients living with bipolar disorder and reaffirms the College’s commitment to supporting and caring for the most vulnerable in our communities. Our advocacy also spans a range of other priority medications including bupropion, lurasidone, clonidine, prazosin and aripiprazole.

Major media campaigns this year have included our Federal pre-election campaign in Australia, responding to the mental health crisis in emergency departments across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, advocating for considered policy reform in ADHD diagnosis and treatment bi-nationally, championing mental health-led diversion programs over punitive youth justice measures through advocacy and media, and fighting to save essential private psychiatric hospital services, most recently The Geelong Clinic that serve rural and regional communities – to name just a few of the issues we've tackled.

Earlier this week, we welcomed the Australian Government’s funding extension for the Military and Veteran Psychiatry Training Program (MVPTP). The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook revealed a $3.5 million investment to extend the program to 30 June 2028. We are awaiting further details from the Department of Veterans' Affairs and will provide more information for members, trainees and health services as it becomes available in the new year. 

Thank you to all the Branch, Faculty, Section and Network Chairs and members for your local advocacy efforts and wins, and to those who stepped up as RANZCP spokespeople in the media. Your expertise amplifies our collective impact, and as we head into 2026, this collaborative advocacy work will be essential to driving real change for our patients and the mental health system.

Training, education and workforce development

We are entering an exciting phase of consultation in the development of a New Fellowship Program. A whole-of-program redesign is underway to create a psychiatrist workforce prepared for the future, a program that meets community and workforce needs and expectations, and to retain the confidence of the Fellowship and trainees.

As we move into 2026, we will continue to enhance the quality and delivery of psychiatric training. The MEQ examination will transition to a computer-based format, offering improved exam legibility, streamlined marking processes, and faster turnaround for results. We are also implementing new accreditation standards across our fellowship training program and posts to align with the Australian Medical Council’s model standards.

Our CPD program remains a strong foundation for lifelong learning, offering a wide range of learning activities, on-demand modules and peer-review groups to help members meet regulatory and professional development goals. We launched the Critical Thinking in Psychiatry learning modules designed to strengthen critical thinking skills in psychiatric practice.

Our Psychiatry Interest Forum (PIF) remains an important initiative encouraging medical students and junior doctors to explore careers in psychiatry and connect with our community. PIF initiatives in 2025 included several educational activities, networking events, scholarships and career guidance. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the PIF program has been refreshed with a new name, Te Tupu Whakaritorito, reflecting a culturally guided approach to supporting Māori and Pasifika members and fostering local engagement.

The RANZCP Certificate of Postgraduate Training in Clinical Psychiatry continues to build broader workforce capability by training general practitioners, rural generalists and other medical practitioners in foundational psychiatric knowledge and skills. We are excited that additional funding will be available in 2026 which will make this program more affordable for more candidates.

Equity, sustainability and global engagement

We continue to demonstrate our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. This year, we established the LGBTIQA+ Mental Health Steering Group to better define the College’s role, scope and prioritisation of work in this space.

We also launched a new Planetary Health and Mental Health Advisory Group to provide a community of practice for members to provide guidance and expertise on College work relating to climate, sustainability and mental health.

We established the International Strategy Development Taskforce to reflect the College’s growing strategic focus on international collaboration and leadership in mental health. Building on a long history of international engagement in education, research, partnerships, and events, the Taskforce is responsible for developing the RANZCP’s inaugural international strategy to strengthen governance, clarify priorities, and guide our future role in global psychiatry.

We have seen some meaningful progress with our Gender Equity Action Plan, the Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, Lived and Living Experience Strategy and Racism Awareness Steering Group.

Strengthening our College for the future

This month, the College has been endorsed as a Health Promotion Charity in recognition of the work we do to improve health outcomes and deliver tangible benefits to our communities. As a result, eligible Australian-based College staff will have access to additional salary packaging benefits. This change supports increased take-home pay at no additional cost to the College, enhances the overall benefits and rewards for our staff, and strengthens the College’s value proposition as an employer.

In recent months, we have actively engaged members and staff in shaping our next Strategic Plan 2026–30, with broad consultations to ensure your voice is central to guiding our priorities over the next five years. A draft is being developed based on your feedback and we look forward to sharing the new Strategic Plan with you in early 2026.

Thank you

The College enters its traditional closure period from Monday 22 December 2025 to Monday 5 January 2026. While College staff will be having a well-earned break, some members of the leadership team will be available to respond to urgent matters, should they arise.

Over the holiday period, we encourage you all to reflect on the difference you make – in the lives of patients, in your workplaces, and within the College. Thank you for all that you do, often under significant pressure and behind the scenes. Your expertise, compassion and commitment continue to sustain our profession and our College.

We wish you a safe and restorative break and look forward to working together in the year ahead.