Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP)

Register for The Royal Australasian College of Physicians webinar: Managing conflict, addressing incivility, and promoting a culture of kindness in the workplace on Wednesday 10 December 2025. The session will focus on how to manage conflict effectively, address incivility, and foster a workplace culture grounded in respect and kindness. Register now: https://lnkd.in/gSwXz8Wd

Inaugural Rural Champion Spotlight 🔦🌟 We asked Prof Kane Vellar what inspired him to choose psychiatry. “I was drawn to #psychiatry out of a deep curiosity about the human condition – how people think, feel, cope, and make sense of their lives. It’s a privileged position to witness vulnerability, sadness, and sorrow, to sit with patients and families on some of their hardest days, and simply listen.” “My own life experiences, along with the people I’ve met along the way, have shaped this path. Psychiatry allows me to combine curiosity, empathy, and a commitment to serving others. It is always challenging, humbling, and rewarding, and I feel very lucky to be able to do this as a job I choose.” Said Prof Kane Vellar Read more about Prof Vellar: https://lnkd.in/gvYDvsgz Apply to become a #RuralChampion, applications close on 5 December 2025: https://lnkd.in/gqjxc2jq  #ruralpsychiatry #ruraltrainingpathways #ruralchampions

Congratulations to RANZCP Fellow, A/Prof Kerryn Rubin, and the mental health team at Peninsula Health on winning the Excellence in mental health and wellbeing award at the 2025 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards! 🏆      Peninsula Mental Health has eliminated seclusion and mechanical restraints in its mental health inpatient settings creating a safer, more therapeutic and rights based environment for all.      Read more: https://lnkd.in/gfSR4SDs  Victorian Department of Health

RANZCP supports the Aboriginal Legal Service's call on Premier Chris Minns to implement the findings of the doli incapax review which recommends upholding doli incapax and codifying it in NSW law to protect young children from being trapped in the quicksand of the criminal justice system. Decades of evidence tell us that exposing children to even short periods of imprisonment compounds trauma and increases the likelihood they will return to prison as adolescents and adults. The NSW Government and Premier must focus on investing in the support for children and families we know makes communities safer and sets children up to thrive.  

In an opinion piece in the Australian Doctor, RANZCP President Dr Astha Tomar says “The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine’s Still Waiting report, is a sobering reminder that Australians experiencing mental illness are not receiving the same standard of care as those with physical health conditions.”    “Australians with #mentalillness deserve the same dignity and timely care as those with cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. The fact that they do not receive it: consistently, predictably, and publicly, should to unacceptable to all of us.”    Read the Australian Doctor article: https://lnkd.in/geDv25DE [Log in required]  

“The system forces people to hit rock bottom before they receive help, and frequently that help is not enough, or worse still, never comes. That's cruel. That's dangerous. And it is costing lives.”     In an opinion piece in The Canberra Times, RANZCP President, Dr Astha Tomar, warns of the dire state of Australia’s mental health system, following recent reports exposing the collapse of the system.     “Our message to governments has never been clearer. Support and retain the #mentalhealthworkforce. Invest in community-based #psychiatricservices nationwide. Prioritise people with moderate to severe #mentalillnesses. Build a system that catches people before they fall, not after they've already hit rock bottom. Because Australians deserve better than another damning report. They deserve a #mentalhealthsystem worthy of their trust.”     Read the full article:  https://lnkd.in/gPYSDNhu [Log in required] Australasian College for Emergency Medicine

Register for our webinar on Artificial intelligence in #psychiatry: Innovation, ethics, and impact.     📅 Wednesday 10 December 2025   🕰️6.30–8.30 pm AEDT     This webinar explores the use of AI tools in a clinical setting, bringing together #psychiatrists and legal experts.    This session will delve into the clinical applications of AI, medico-legal implications, and the ethical responsibilities of clinicians adopting such tools.     Register now: https://lnkd.in/gjY-PgEi 

This week is #PerinatalMentalHealthWeek (PMHW). Prof Megan Galbally the Victorian representative for the RANZCP Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry warns the #postpartum period is a vulnerable time for women, and they may struggle to distinguish trustworthy advice from confusing or misleading online content.     She says parents may naturally find themselves wanting information online or scrolling social media on their phone.     Prof Galbally says sleep deprivation and being in the "lonely baby bubble" can mean some parents may struggle to filter what content is appropriate or whether being online is healthy for them.     Read the full Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) article on: How to take care of yourself online postpartum. https://lnkd.in/g9HZjZbD 

This week is #PerinatalMentalHealthWeek (PMHW) – a national week to raise awareness, provide information, support and de-stigmatise perinatal mental health issues.       Watch the #RANZCPFoundation Masterclass on Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health, featuring leading experts in the field.  - Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM explores the impact of gonadal hormones on mental disorders like PMDD and depression.  - Dr Michelle Smith discusses managing psychotropic medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding.   - Professor Anne Buist provides practical strategies for enhancing parent-child relationships in families affected by mental illness.      Gain up to 3.5 CPD hours and valuable insights, evidence-based practices, and strategies to improve women’s mental health outcomes.     This masterclass is available on-demand until 31 December 2025.   https://lnkd.in/g8zZQxvE  

The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) report has revealed some mental health patients are waiting more than 23 hours for a bed in #emergencydepartments with nowhere else to go.  RANZCP President Dr Astha Tomar said "Behind every number is a person in unbearable distress, someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, psychosis, or severe anxiety, forced to wait in the worst possible environment for care that may never come."  We're calling for urgent investment across the full spectrum of #mentalhealthcare, from community-based services to adequate mental health bed capacity in public hospitals, and a #Medicare system that supports the multidisciplinary care people with complex conditions actually need.  Read the #RANZCPmedia release: https://lnkd.in/geRyJsx2