Professionalism and psychiatry: the profession speaks

Abstract

Objective: Recently in the USA and the UK, the medical profession as a whole and psychiatry in particular have felt 'deprofessionalised'. This study aimed to explore ideas about professionalism and the threat of deprofessionalisation from psychiatrists themselves.

Method: Attendees at three meetings related to the activities of the Royal College of Psychiatrists were invited to respond to a short questionnaire. These were meetings on different days and different people attended these. The questionnaire had only five simple questions. In two meetings, all attendees answered and in the third meeting only two of 20 attendees did so.

Results: Seventy-three completed questionnaires were received. Of these, a vast majority, 89% of 66, believed that professionalism is important in modern day clinical practice; key threats to professionalism are the government, the media and other specialties and disciplines. There was broad agreement that the Royal College of Psychiatrists should lead and define professionalism.

Conclusion: The ownership of professionalism by the professionals themselves is the most important factor; ethics, standards, attitudes and skills are seen as significant components of professionalism and should be taught early to trainees.