Keynote Lecture

Abstract

The Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists (PRCP) works with its member countries around the Pacific rim to promote mental health and to encourage the highest possible standards of clinical practice and ethical behavior in psychiatry. The PRCP also works to secure the best outcomes for people with mental illness by promoting excellent mental health services, supporting the prevention of mental illness, training outstanding psychiatrists, promoting quality and research, setting standards and being the voice of psychiatry across the Pacific rim countries. The PRCP works to disseminate knowledge about evidence-based psychiatric treatments and values-based practice; to be a voice for the dignity and human rights of patients and their families; and to uphold the rights of psychiatrists where they may be challenged. Most importantly, it acts to facilitate communication and provide assistance to societies who are isolated or whose members work in impoverished circumstances. I suggest the following future agenda for the PRCP in my lecture: 1) Action on the socioeconomic inequalities in mental health; 2) Improving mental health care systems in the Pacific rim; 3) Fighting against stigma of psychiatric treatment; 4) Improving quality of psychiatric training and education; 5) Remaining up to date and educated in digital psychiatry; 6) Role of psychiatrists in post-pandemic era.