Last week was hectic – but with purpose. I was pleased to see a
letter signed by 35 of the country’s top forensic psychiatrists
published in
The Times last Thursday. For those who didn’t
see it, the letter explained how forensic psychiatry services have
recently been “substantially privatised” and that “the emphasis on
a range of providers and the purchaser-provider split has had
unwelcome effects on patient care”. The letter warned that
the experience of forensic services offers “a glimpse of what the
future holds for the rest of medicine if the Health and Social Care
Bill is passed.”
Last Tuesday, I attended a good meeting of the
psychiatric sub-committee at the BMA where we shared concerns and
shared solutions.
On Wednesday, at a meeting of the
Medical Programme Board, we had our plans and recommendations
for recruitment accepted. This was thanks to the hard work of the
Registrar, Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis, the Associate Registrar for
Recruitment, Dr Tom Brown, and the Deputy National
Director for the Foundation Programme, Dr Stuart Carney. Watch this
space for more details soon.
On Thursday, I travelled to Newcastle for the
General and Community Faculty Conference in Newcastle. It was a
privilege to be part of this very vibrant, rich meeting – with lots
of feisty questions put to me and the Registrar! Unfortunately I
don’t have all the answers, but Dr Nick Kosky, chair of the
Faculty, is leading on a plan to enable us to make an honest and
clear statement about functional teams and functional splits, with
all the diverse meanings and views on this. It’s good to hear of
psychiatrists who are taking a lead and going out to our future
commissioners – GPs – to state the worth, value and positive
difference that psychiatrists leading multidisciplinary teams can
and will make.
I spent the weekend back home in Manchester,
sorting out a leaky roof and preparing for a briefing for Peers
about the Health and Social Care Bill. This will take place in the
House of Lords this evening, and will be chaired by one of our
former Presidents, Professor The Baroness Hollins. I'll update
you on this event later in the week.
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