Overseas psychiatrists

Sir: Among the many achievements cited in the President's Report (Psychiatric Bulletin, December 2001, 25, 487-490), the initiatives of Professor Cox, President of the College, to engage with colleagues working in developing countries must be lauded as the dawn of a new era. Many overseas members perceive themselves as the proverbial lost sheep eating the crumbs that fall from the College's table. Yet, far removed by distance from Belgrave Square, many members working overseas in an environment of non-British trained psychiatrists paradoxically hold total allegiance to the College and closely follow the proceedings.

It is hoped that this wind of change will result in more collaboration with overseas members. For example, there is a perception that the adjustment of membership fees linked to the gross domestic product of member countries is discriminatory in itself, enabling those from developed countries more ‘buying power’ into the College. The reasoning for a sliding scale is faulty since the sustainable income of psychiatrists in the poorest developing country is astronomical when compared to the per capita income of the general population. Arguably, a common membership rate may have been more equitable.

Nevertheless, the two working parties, one headed by Dr Kendell on international responsibilities of the College and the other chaired by the President himself on training and service delivery issues for Black and ethnic minorities are long overdue and must be welcomed. The chairperson of the new Ethnic Issues Committee, Dr Parimala Moodley, must be less Eurocentric and ought to devise a mechanism of incorporating overseas members from the developing countries into her committee.