Royal College of Psychiatrists

Improving the lives of people affected by mental illness.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the professional and educational body for psychiatrists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

We aim to:

Set standards and promote excellence in psychiatry and mental healthcare - The Royal College of Psychiatrists is committed to improving the understanding of psychiatry and mental health. We want there to be a greater understanding of the interaction between mental and physical health and the social and cultural context in which people live. We are at the forefront in setting and achieving the highest standards through education, training and research. We lead the way in developing excellence and promoting best practice in mental health services. We promote research and publish the results in our world-class psychiatric journals.

Lead, represent and support psychiatrists - The College actively promotes psychiatry as a career. College structures are robust and provide dedicated support to our members and associates. Nationally and internationally, the College has a vital role in representing the expertise of the psychiatric profession to governments and other agencies. This is key to promoting best practice in mental health.

Work with service users, carers and their organisations - We collaborate with key players in the mental health field and are champions for improvements in the quality of mental healthcare throughout all sectors of society. Public education is at the heart of our activities and is an essential component of our website.