Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Working Group: final report

Annex B – Terms of Reference

1. Remit

This group is being established to collate, consolidate, and analyse quantitative and qualitative evidence to determine whether additional support is needed to improve recruitment and retention rates in psychiatry and, if so, identify actionable, practical steps which can help to address various contributing factors. The development of this evidence base and subsequent recommendations will be key in helping Scottish Ministers, NES, and other partners to understand the most effective and appropriate ways of ensuring there is an appropriate pipeline of psychiatrists to meet current and future demand.

2. Membership

Chair(s):

Dr Alastair Cook (Principal Medical Officer, SG)

Dr Nina Mackenzie (Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellow) – up to August 2024

Members:

NHS Education for Scotland

Nitin Gambhir (Lead Dean Director)

Colin Tilley (Data Analyst)

Seamus McNulty (Specialty Training Board)

Duncan Henderson (Foundation Training Board)

Judy Thomson (Director of Training for Psychology Services)

Martin Bryce (Digital Content Lead)

Lindsay Haines (Centre for Workforce Supply)

Katherine Stevenson (Centre for Workforce Supply)

RCPsych Scotland

Jane Morris (Chair)

Pavan Srireddy (Vice Chair)

Laura Hudson (Manager)

Ihsan Kader (Chair of the RCPsych Scottish Workforce & Careers Committee)

Susan Richardson (RCPsych Scottish Workforce & Careers Committee)

Senior Medical Managers in Psychiatry Group (SMMPG)

Amanda Cotton (Chair)

Una Graham (Vice Chair)

Trainee Representatives

Rosemary Gordon (ST5 General Adult Psychiatry, South East Scotland)

Ananya Santosh (ST5 General Adult Psychiatry, North of Scotland)

Imogen Porter (CT3 Forensic Psychiatry, West of Scotland)

Director of Medical Education (DME) Representatives

David Rooke (Consultant Psychiatrist, NHS Tayside)

Andrew Donaldson (Consultant Psychiatrist, NHS Lanarkshire)

Neil McNamara (Clinical Director, NHS Highland)

Scottish Government

Officials provided secretariat support to the Group and participated in discussions.

Phase 1 secretariat - Officials from Medical Education and Training, Health Workforce Directorate

Phase 2 secretariat - Officials from Mental Health Workforce, Mental Health Directorate

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Members have been invited to join this group based on fulfilling some combination of the following attributes:

• First-hand experience of working in psychiatry.
• Perspectives around whether or not psychiatry is perceived to be good career choice.
• Knowledge and expertise of supporting modelling data.
• Understanding of the mental health workforce that is needed in Scotland.
• Awareness of the barriers preventing trainees from pursuing a career in psychiatry.
• Views of what currently works well, and what needs to be changed/improved.

All members are expected to:

• Attend scheduled meetings where possible and arrange for a suitable deputy where necessary (giving the meeting organiser at least one week of notice).
• Contribute ideas to the group and provide feedback on ideas offered by others.
• Progress any actions agreed by the group which are relevant to their area/organisation, and keep the group updated on subsequent progress.