Psychiatry’s Contract with Society: Concepts, Controversies, and Consequences

The development of the internet has brought about a seachange in the traditional doctor-patient relationship. No longer is the patient entirely at the mercy of their doctor to tell them about their problems. Via the internet they can now access vast repositories of information, about even the most obscure disorder - not all of it accurate, not all of it safe. This has changed society’s attitudes to medicine generally, and certainly affected the way it views the field of psychiatry. The situation has hardly been helped by a series of well publicised scandals over the past 25 years. There are also issues regarding changing social attitudes to psychiatry, and the stigma of mental illness.

This book presents a timely appraisal of the status of psychiatry and its relationship with society in the second decade of this century. It brings together an international team of specialists who review critical issues such as training, professionalism, regulation, ethics, and economics. Together, it constitutes a far-reaching document that considers the status of psychiatry now, and how it should develop in the coming years.

A publication of great significance, this book will be of interest to all practising psychiatrists and mental health professionals, as well as policy makers, and those involved in patient groups.

Professor Dinesh Bhugra is Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. He is also an Honorary Consultant at the Maudsley Hospital, where he runs the sexual and couple therapy clinic.

Professor Bhugra’s research interests are in cultural psychiatry, sexual dysfunction and service development. He has authored/co-authored over 300 scientific papers, chapters and 20 books. His recent volumes are Textbook of Cultural Psychiatry (awarded a recommendation in the BMA Book Awards in 2008), Culture and Mental Health, Handbook for Psychiatric Trainees and Management for Psychiatrists. His most recent monograph, Mad Tales from Bollywood: Portrayal of Madness in Conventional Hindi Cinema, was published in 2006.

He is the Editor of the International Journal of Social Psychiatry, International Review of Psychiatry and International Journal of Culture and Mental Health.

Dr Amit Malik is Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychiatry of the Elderly at the Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust and until recently was chair of the Psychiatric Trainees Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the President of the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees. He is also the training policy adviser for the College and involved in development and delivery of assessments in Psychiatry in the UK. Additionally, he is a research fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. He is a member of the Committee of Education of the European Psychiatric Association. Over the last few years, he has collaborated with colleagues in Europe and North America in the development of assessment for postgraduate psychiatric trainees.

George Ikkos is the Honorary Treasurer of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is a General Adult psychiatrist with special interest in Liaison Psychiatry (Psychosomatics). He is Associate Medical Director for Medical Education at Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and Honorary Visiting Research Professor at London South Bank University. His research and academic interests and publications include moral philosophy and professionalism in psychiatric practice and the role of emotions and psychodynamics in health care. He teaches psychiatric ethics, has worked extensively with patients/ service users to teach interview skills to psychiatrists in training and supervises psychiatric trainees in Psychotherapy. He is External Examiner in Psychiatry at Imperial College School of Medicine University of London.