There are 26 recommendations that come together through our Member Wellbeing Action Plan, anchored across guiding themes of leadership and knowledge; as well as advocacy and partnerships. 

As the Action Plan’s forward from the RANZCP President, Dr Elizabeth Moore expresses, there’s much that we can do within our own College to support each other and to introduce initiatives, but there are also spaces that sit beyond us, and participating and advocating for each other can by a catalyst for longer-term change. When we consider it more deeply, ‘wellbeing’ crosses over so many parts of our professional and personal lives and is much more than the absence of illness or injury needing treatment and time to heal. 

We’re now well into the second year of this Action Plan, and as we approach the holiday season and the end of another year, its timely to share an update on what’s been happening in member wellbeing in the College, and what’s on the horizon for 2025. 

A quick access list of wellbeing related webinars and podcasts is set out for you as well. 

What’s been happening?

Some of the major achievements through the Action Plan have included: 

• Refreshing our wellbeing support web information for trainees and SIMGs, as well as completing a trainee support needs survey that will assist us to respond or make changes where they are needed most
• Publication of a new College Position Statement - (PS48) on the safety and wellbeing of psychiatrists and those in psychiatry training 
• Member initiated webinars on topics such as the truth about patient suicide and its impact on clinicians with Dr Rachel Gibbons, what is a director of staff wellbeing in healthcare? with Dr Maura Kenny,  as well as treating doctors with major mental illness with Dr Israel Berger and Dr Kym Jenkins.
• Sessions hosted at the last three Congress’ touching on bullying, harassment; the culture of medicine and professional behaviours.
• A new web resource on available processes and how to take action on bullying, harassment, discrimination, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace, or at College events
• Opening up a new external EAP service for all RANZCP members, and available for their extended family that’s funded by the College, the RANZCP Member Support Program. 

In February this year, the College also released the findings of a pulse check survey on burnout, and launched a national, coordinated campaign advocating for the wellbeing of the psychiatric workforce amidst the workforce shortage. The findings of the survey report received extensive media coverage. 

Other initiatives also contribute to the member wellbeing space, such as the current Code of Ethics Review by the Committee for Professional Practice to revise the Code to emphasise relational ethics, focussing on the connection between professionals, those they serve, and the wider community. The Australian Government funded project: A Better Culture is another sector wide initiative that our College and members continue to keenly take part in.  
 

What’s next?

• Arriving in 2025, is the introduction of a new category to the RANZCP CPD Program, Wellbeing education. Look out for more details in the new year.
• The Wellbeing Support for Members hub is undergoing a comprehensive refresh, to move it beyond the pandemic context and in line with what our members need now. 
• New web content for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, to promote culturally safe resources and services. 

And finally, here’s a quick access list to get to some of the webinars and podcasts our members and colleagues in medicine have recorded. Our sincere thanks to them all for taking part. 

Please contact the College team at support@ranzcp.org if you need any support.

Webinars

• The truth about suicide and its impact on clinicians – Dr Rachel Gibbons
• What we need to build a better culture in healthcare – Dr Jillann Farmer
• Making it happen: Work flexibility in healthcare – Prof. Helena Teede, Dr Friyana Bhabha, Dr Ashlea White, Prof. Elizabeth Elliot, Dr Genevieve Sadler

Podcasts

• Connections and Community in Psychiatry – Dr Roderick McKay and Dr Ashlea White
• Mindfulness and Wellbeing for Staff in Healthcare – Dr Maura Kenny and Dr Linda Kader
• Psychiatrist and trainee burnout – Dr Ava Carter, Dr Matthew Brazel and A/Prof. Jeffrey Looi
• Doctors’ wellbeing – Prof. Brett McDermott and Dr Tahnee Bridson 
• Lived experience of psychiatrists – Dr Israel Berger, Dr Kieran Allen, and Dr Vidya Narayan