Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2008) 14: 339-346. doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.105.001818
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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‘Public psychiatry’: a neglected professional role?{dagger}

Michael J. Smith

Michael Smith trained in psychiatry in the West of Scotland and Australia before taking up a post as a consultant psychiatrist with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in 2000 (Dykebar Hospital, Grahamston Road, Paisley PA2 7DE, UK. Email: m.j.smith{at}clinmed.gla.ac.uk). He is currently also Clinical Director for Mental Health Services in South Clyde and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow. Dr Smith is a founder member of the ‘see me’ anti-stigma alliance, past Chair of the Public Affairs Committee of the Scottish Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and past Secretary of the Cross-Party Group on Mental Health in the Scottish Parliament.

The importance of mental health to our social, financial and physical well-being has gained better recognition in recent years. The work of psychiatry is to understand, prevent and treat mental illness, and should therefore be of compelling interest to the public. Yet few care about the profession or practice of psychiatry other than psychiatrists themselves. The public and the profession would both benefit from a ‘conversation’ about practical, moral and political aspects of contemporary mental health. This should be a dialogue of equals, distinct from didactic approaches to ‘public education’ or from a ‘media psychiatry’ that exists primarily to entertain. This discourse would help to improve care, diminish stigma, promote recovery and improve the status of the profession itself. This article proposes that this kind of ‘public psychiatry’ should take its place as one of four interdependent professional domains.


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‘Public psychiatry’: a challenge for the profession?: INVITED COMMENTARY ON... ‘PUBLIC PSYCHIATRY’
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APT 2008 14: 347-349. [Abstract] [Full Text]  



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D. Yeomans and F. Drake
'Public psychiatry': a challenge for the profession?: INVITED COMMENTARY ON... 'PUBLIC PSYCHIATRY'
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat., September 1, 2008; 14(5): 347 - 349.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]