Adrian James, M.B.B.S., Elected President of Royal College of Psychiatrists

Justin Grainge

Adrian James, M.B.B.S. (left), has been elected the next president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych). He will become president on July 1, when the term of the current president, Prof. Wendy Burn, ends.

The RCPsych is the professional organization representing psychiatrists throughout the United Kingdom. James will serve a three-year term.

“This is a pivotal time for psychiatry,” he said in a statement from the RCPsych. “I will focus my energies on achieving parity of esteem, addressing workforce well-being, and championing diversity and the needs of marginalized groups.”

James is a consultant in forensic psychiatry at Devon Partnership NHS Trust, providing mental health and learning disability services in Devon, England, as part of Britain’s National Health Service.

The position of president is the most senior post in the college, which has a national and international leadership role in psychiatry. The president also chairs the college’s Council and Board of Trustees. Burn said in a statement, “I know that [James] will bring passion and commitment to the continuation of the work that I have been doing to ensure that care for our patients is improved.”

APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., congratulated James and the RCPsych. “Dr. James will not only be an exceptional leader for psychiatrists in the U.K., but also a valuable colleague on the world stage as we work together for our patients and our profession,” Levin said. “The Royal College of Psychiatrists is such an important partner and friend in all our efforts to promote psychiatry and mental health around the world. I look forward to our continued collaborative efforts to provide equity and esteem to people with mental illness, humane care, and effective treatment.”

Levin was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the RCPsych during the college’s International Congress last July. ■