Through the looking-glass: private and public practice psychiatry in the RANZCP

Abstract

Objective: To provide reflections on the representation of and engagement with private practice psychiatrists by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). Conclusion: We consider some of the reasons for private psychiatrist disengagement with the RANZCP. We suggest approaches to better engage private psychiatrists in the RANZCP, including: involvement in mental health policy, improved committee representation, specific private practice and business training for Fellowship, broader private practice peer support networks (welfare, clinical research, leadership), tailored professional development, branch-based networks of public and private psychiatrists, and collaboration with specialist medical colleges and the Australian Medical Association.

Clinical update on public and private psychiatric practice shared-care partnerships – Can the twain work together?

“…13 It may be difficult to convince public sector services to devote limited funding to a partnership of uncertain outcome. 1 The differences in world-view and perceived expertise between private and public psychiatrists may remain a significant hurdle, 4,13 unless there are establishment of mutual communication networks towards cultural shift to understand the complementarity of their work. 13 Recent research has demonstrated that public and private psychiatric hospital care is complementary, and evidence may assist in building mutual understanding.…”

“…Private psychiatrists must work collectively to develop such partnerships, despite ongoing challenges in engaging with advocacy bodies, such as the RANZCP. 4 Initial pro bono commitments from private psychiatrists will be needed to develop a model of care, preferably with support from the RANZCP, as it is unlikely there will be funding from the public sector. Public sector psychiatrists and health services will need to meet half-way with private psychiatrists, devoting limited clinical resources and time to progress discussion and planning.…”

“…3 Recent recommendations have called for the implementation of specialist ID mental health (IDMH) services to support mainstream services. [4][5][6] However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the optimal design of mental health services to meet the needs of people with ID. 7 To address this, our team undertook a scoping study of the need for an adult tertiary IDMH service in New South Wales (NSW).…”

Three perils of medico-political professional organisations: corporatisation, bureaucratisation and concentration of power

“…Concentration of power may lead to under-representation of important sections of the membership, such as those in private practice who may be unable to afford to devote time to unpaid College activities as opposed to those in the public or university sector. 5 As a result, there may be insufficient expertise in addressing issues that are specific to these consequently under-represented groups.…”

l’Optimisme and youth mental health: has it attained Voltaire’s ‘best of all possible worlds’?

“…Similarly, private sector psychiatrists are not usually included in medico-political engagement and thus also cannot effectively advocate. 9 Therefore, clinical academics have a role in contributing a real-world clinical perspective to the scientific and policy debate on EI. Given an awareness of the ongoing nature of psychotic disorders even after high-quality youth EI, we suggest that the correct policy solution is fully integrated mental healthcare across the lifespan, inclusive of youth, adults and older adults.…”