BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK

Prof. Hamid GhodseDr. Afzal Javed

BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Board of International Affairs (BIA) was established in 2001 and its first meeting was held on 3rd December.

The Board is currently chaired by Professor Hamid Ghodse.

BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

To map, co-ordinate, encourage and focus on current College international activities as a basis for appropriate expansion in the future.

To support the international work of College members and mental health professionals.

BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Board of International Affairs (BIA) established special groups of overseas psychiatrists working in different parts of the world.

INTERNATIONAL GROUPS OF THE COLLEGE

• One of the first undertakings of the Board was to set up College international groups in areas which had large numbers of College Members and Fellows, such as South Asia and Africa.

• In 2002 and 2003 Council endorsed the establishment of the Pan-African and South Asian International Groups which brought the number of International Groups to four, all of them active at the College annual meetings as well as regional meetings including sessions at the APA and WPA meetings.

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

In April 2004 the Privy Council of the UK Government approved several amendments to the

College Bye-laws. The amendment to Section XXIVB of the Bye-law stipulates that:

“There may be such International Divisions, in areas outside the United Kingdom and outside Ireland, so constituted and with such organisation as may from time to time be prescribed by the Regulations, for the purpose of providing for discussion and exchange of information locally.”

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

Following this amendment the Board of International Affairs, in consultation with the College’s overseas Members, drew up the Regulations for International Divisions which were approved by Council in June 2004.

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

According to the Regulations, the geographical boundaries of International Divisions shall be largely, though not exclusively, based on the WHO regions.

African European

Middle EasternPan-AmericanSouth Asian

Western Pacific

and each shall have an Executive Committee comprising an elected Chair, a Secretary and a Financial Officer.

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

Objectives of the Divisions

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

• To map, co-ordinate, encourage and focus on current College international activities as a basis for appropriate expansion in the future, in particular.

• To provide administrative support to and represent International Divisions in College Council.

• To support the international work of College members and officers.

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

To raise awareness of international psychiatry including, in particular

• The awareness of international issues in mental health policy, care, treatment, rehabilitation, promotion and prevention

• The awareness of the impact of globalisation especially in relation to the education, practice and employment of psychiatrists

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

To advise the College on international affairs, in particular

• To highlight, review, encourage and determine approaches to developments of international significance which are pertinent to psychiatric training, clinical practice, service planning, policy and research

• To support trainees and clinicians through collaboration in the development and implementation of curricula, conduct of examinations and CPD activities

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

To advise the College on international affairs, in particular

• To support the formulation of policy on relevant issues

• To facilitate international research collaboration

• To support College Members working in other countries

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

To advise the College on international affairs, in particular

To assist and facilitate international activities in the College, other Royal Colleges and national and international associations and organisations (e.g. British Council, EU, UEMS, WPA and WHO) through liaison and collaboration with a distinct focus on improving relationships with overseas member and non-member psychiatrists

International Division Chair

Pan-African Prof Tuviah Zabow (South Africa)

European Prof George Christodoulou (Greece)

Middle Eastern Dr Nasser Loza (Egypt)

Pan-American Dr Nigel Bark (USA)

South Asian Prof S Haroon-Ahmed (Pakistan)

Western Pacific Prof Scott Henderson (Australia)

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

• Functioning of the Divisions

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE COLLEGE

• To support the international work of College

• To support College members and fellows in their professional work

• To map, co-ordinate, encourage and focus on current College international activities as a basis for appropriate expansion in the future, in particular

INTERNATIONAL SESSIONS AT ANNUAL MEETINGS OF

THE COLLEGE• International sessions at College annual

meetings are one of the ‘standing items’ on the Board’s agenda.

• Organised by College Overseas Groups (International Divisions from this year) and chaired by their respective chairpersons, they are always very successful and well attended

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

• WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION• UNION OF EUROPEAN MEDICAL

SPECIALISTS• AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION • SOUTH ASIAN FORUM ON MENTAL

HEALTH• OTHER INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISATIONS

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATESHIP

An amendment to Section VII of the College Bye-laws and Regulations stipulates that:

• Any two Members of the College may nominate for registration as an International Associate a qualified medical practitioner who is working outside the United Kingdom or Ireland in psychiatry (or its part-time equivalent). The Court of Electors shall consider all such applications annually.

INTERNATIONAL PSYCHIATRY BULLETIN

• International Psychiatry,

the bulletin of the Board of International Affairs has been established eighteen

months ago

INTERNATIONAL PSYCHIATRY BULLETIN

• To provide information on developments in psychiatry within the Royal College and at the Regional & International levels that will benefit the mental health of the population, which Members of the College serve.

• To provide a profile of psychiatric practice around the world, advances and problems in relation to education, training, research and policies in different countries and a means of communication and networking for Members and organisations with similar interests and mandates as the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERS PROGRAMME

•It seems the College can provide a vital link between those members in the UK who would be willing to offer help and those overseas members who need it. •The idea for the project is that, the resources available in the UK can readily be utilised in low income countries where there is a great need for help in relation to curriculum development, teaching, examining, service development, clinical governance, administration, specific research, research training, etc.

SPECIAL GROUP FOR RELIEF WORK IN DISASTER

The College with active help from BIA has established a special group looking at Tsunami relief work for

• Co-ordination of activities

• Planning training programmes

• Helping local professionals in service provision

SUB-COMMITTEE ON IRAQ

• The Board recognises the need to undertake action to help Iraqi colleagues, both in Iraq and in the UK, with their efforts to re-establish and develop mental health services in Iraq and to develop psychiatric training. There are several groups currently operating in the UK in this field and the Board believes the College’s role should be to facilitate and perhaps co-ordinate their activities.

CHINA TASK FORCEDirector of International Affairs has been invited to join, on behalf of the

College, the China Task Force set up by the Department of Health. The Task Force has met three times to date and established the following points:

• Over the past two years the DoH / UKT&I has hosted eight visits from China

• The Chinese delegates were particularly interested in 3 key areas: (1) model of primary care, (2) building programmes financed via PPP/PFI and (3) medical education and training programmes of the Royal Colleges.

• China has been recognised within Government as being very important and a joint Anglo / Chinese task force led by the respective Deputy Prime Ministers had been created to develop partnerships in five priority sectors of which healthcare was one.

FUTURE

• Opportunity to learn from other countries experiences of cultural differences, a variety of treatment approaches and so on.

• The BIA is hoping to become involved not just with the English speaking Commonwealth countries, but increasingly with the countries in the European Economic Area, Latin America and elsewhere, to advocate actively equality of mental health worldwide.

To achieve this, the support of all College Members and fellows is vital.

FUTURE

• Continuing contribution to international education and training

• Development of relationships with the people likely to become leaders of the discipline in different countries

To achieve this, the support of all College Members and fellows is vital.

THNAKS