Royal College of Psychiatrists Volunteering & International Psychiatry Special Interest

Royal College of Psychiatrists Volunteering & International Psychiatry Special Interest Group Committee Meeting

Date: Friday 18th October 2013 Venue: Royal College of Psychiatrists, London

Present: Victor Doku (Chair), Mandip Jheeta (Secretary), Ghazala Afzal, Emmanuella Akande, Michael Bourke, Sally Browning, Sajad Yousuf.

Apologies: Peter Hughes, Sophie Thomson

Minutes of last meeting To add GA to names present. Otherwise accepted

Matters arising None

Feedback from Peter Hughes (PH), VIPSIG Chair summer school at Maudsley went well, and was well attended from UK and abroad. PH presented on mhGAP. Vikram Patel, Martin Prince, Chris Underhill were present, as well as representatives from countries inc. Ghana, Nigeria and Latin America.

Myanmar trek Sophie Thomson (ST) discussion due with Elen Cook, RCPsych, next week. Interested parties to contact ST for further info.

Diaspora feedback Diaspora group has been meeting. A number of member organisations have been holding annual events e.g. BIPA. Diaspora groups looking to have common platform and further collaboration e.g. some cross sharing of documents and minutes etc.

VIPSIG Terms of Reference Agreed to review at later date and place on website. Feedback welcomed.

Discussion of volunteers’ experiences and ideas MB Works 5 months of year near Nairobi, Kenya, inc. teaching tutorials and teaching ward rounds, and 7 months in London. Has also lived in Sierra Leone. In Kenya: only 5, mainly older, drugs available; nurses run all of psychiatric practice. Looking for links with Kenya project. Will consider liaison with Prof Rachel Jenkins. Would also like to extend work elsewhere

SB & SY Recent 2 week training programme in Kashmir went well. Involving 30 nurses, 20 psychologist, teachers, doctors. Emphasis on teaching in periphery with no psychiatrist. MhGAP training, supported RCPsych and WHO, and organised by Kashmir Director of Health. Very well organised, publicised and received. Hopefully doing larger pilot project at later date and training of trainers. Asking how can VIPSIG support it? Discussed advantages of and demand for WHO accreditation.

EO Promoting MH issues in Niger Delta region of Nigeria VD Directly involved in 2002-09 Ghana project. Other Ghana projects discussed with diaspora, with input from worldwide Ghanaians. Discussed importance of involving local practitioners in organisation and delivery, and mobilising Diaspora support.

GA Runs charity in India and Pakistan, with different inpatient and outpatient strands. Trained 60-70 GPs through "Concern for mental health" 1-day conference, November 2012. Would like to work together further with VIPSIG.

Other ideas: SB sustainability of project training. SY linking to PRIHME. SY & VD training in prisons/ prison infirmaries. All agreed: would be good to have full (i.e. 5-day) mhGAP orientation training from VIPSIG; funding is often issue for tutors etc. state funding very helpful; RCPsych reputation and reputation helpful.

SY & GA: keen for project collaboration/ overlap; Dr Akeel helpful in how to organise; will liaise further with PH. SB emphasis on manual/ algorithm helps sustainability/ method. GA new DSH algorithm for psychiatrists. VD World Mental Health Day celebrated by 1st mental health & wellbeing conference in Ghana. GA would like to present at conference, to email Ashok Singh.

Essay prize MJ working on

AOB VD will forward various emails

Apologies for next meeting GA & MB

Upcoming meetings Committee meeting, Friday 10th January 2014, 2-4pm, College, London