This ‘AGENDA’ by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland was published in the Herald on:
The full article can be read here.
What follows are a few images of passages that struck me:
Personal thoughts:
This ‘AGENDA’ by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland is understandably political. Services are stretched and staff are fatigued. Morale is low. The primary argument made by the Royal College of Psychiatrists is that mental health needs more money. I understand this.
However, when it comes to mental wellbeing we need to consider more widely. I say this, given the dramatic rise in reported mental health conditions in recent times. To me this clearly indicates that approaches determined to reduce suffering need to include more than just the medical understandings of senior psychiatrists [specialists].
It is striking that the ‘AGENDA’ of the Royal College of Psychiatrists omits to consider wider-level public health considerations. Indeed, there is not a single mention by the College of cultural contributions to the situation that we find ourselves in.
There is no mention in this ‘AGENDA’ of overmedicalisation and harms associated with this. Sadly, it would seem, the Scottish Government’s initiative ‘Realistic Medicine’ is dead and buried.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland concludes its AGENDA stating that it offers a “proper analysis”. The input of psychiatry will always be necessary. However for wider wellbeing we also require organisations, such as this, to begin to acknowledge a need to be open to wider considerations, including public health and the humanities.
AGENDA
[a ‘Little Spartan’ poem in response to reading an article by RCPsych Scotland in the Herald, 19 June 2025]
Your ‘AGENDA’?
to diagnose
and treat more?
Your ‘AGENDA’?
to be institutionally blind
juggernaut determined –
The pathological magnifying glass
of our times?
Your ‘AGENDA’?
to prioritise
voices of senior psychiatrists
over vivendo discimus?