RCPsych Awards 2025

Nominations for our yearly RCPsych Awards close on Friday 13 June at 5pm.
The RCPsych Awards mark the highest level of achievement in psychiatry.
This year’s event will have 18 categories including individual awards for psychiatrists of all grades as well as awards to recognise the work being done by teams in mental health care.?
We want to make sure our awards are truly reflective of the breadth, diversity and talent of our membership and are encouraging entrants from right across the UK, in all of our categories.?
The closing date for entries is 5pm on 13 June 2025.
You can see the full list of categories and criteria below. Please ensure you've read the general Rules for Entry before submitting a nomination.
If you'd like to submit a nomination, click the link under the relevant category to be taken to the online nomination form. You can also download a PDF version of the form to help you draft your submission. Please note, final submissions must be made through the online version of the form.
a) Has made a positive impact at a local and/or national level to improve mental health services
b) Has improved the perception of mental health issues and/or mental health services
c) Has encouraged change in the development of mental health policy
d) Has been an accessible role model to mental health service professionals, other patients and/or carers
e) Has contributed to the recruitment and/or training of psychiatrists and/or other mental health service professionals.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
a) Has made a positive impact at a local and/or national level to improving mental health services
b) Has improved the perception of mental health issues and/or mental health services
c) Has encouraged change in the development of mental health policy
d) Has been an accessible role model to mental health service professionals, patients and/or carers
e) Has contributed to the recruitment and/or training of psychiatrists and/or other mental health service professionals.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should demonstrate an exceptional level of achievement in at least one of the following categories:
a) A professional
b) A clinician
c) A leader
d) An educator
e) A researcher
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
This award is for resident doctors (CT1 – CT3) who have demonstrated through their clinical performance and practice that they have attained a level of achievement over and above that expected for their grade. The person nominated should be resident in the UK and should be a member or associate (including PMPT) of the College.
The entry should describe how the nominee has demonstrated exceptional levels of achievement as:
a) A professional
b) A clinician
c) A leader
d) An educator
e) A researcher
The researcher criterion is weighted lower than the other criteria as there is now a dedicated award for early career researchers. Resident doctors who predominantly work in an academic setting should be nominated for the Academic Researcher award.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
This award is for resident doctors (ST4 – ST6 and SpR) who have demonstrated through their clinical performance and practice that they have attained a level of achievement over and above that expected for their grade. The person nominated should be resident in the UK and should be a member or associate of the College.
The entry should describe how the nominee has demonstrated exceptional levels of achievement as:
a) A professional
b) A clinician
c) A leader
d) An educator
e) A researcher
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
a) Challenged negative stereotypes and perceptions of mental illness.
b) Conveyed information about mental health in a creative and accessible way.
c) Demonstrated first-class communication skills.
d) Raised awareness of psychiatric issues in a positive manner.
e) Promoted the importance of mental health in society.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
This category is open to nominations for educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, college tutors, rotational training scheme organisers, heads of schools, and any psychiatrists who can demonstrate a significant contribution to the training of psychiatric resident doctors, medical undergraduates or medical professionals. The contribution may be at local, regional or national level. This award is only open to individuals. Nominees should be resident in the UK.
Your entry should describe how the nominee has demonstrated innovation and/or excellence in one or more of the following (please note: it is not expected that the nominee will excel in every area):
a) National, regional, local and in-house educational initiatives, e.g. developing CPD online modules, writing articles for BJPsych Advances
b) Personalising educational offers to cater to individual resident doctors’ needs, e.g. addressing differential attainment, personalising training for resident doctors with different needs
c) Helping colleagues with educational roles to improve their higher learning opportunities, e.g. mentoring
d) Developing educational innovations, e.g. online training
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The nature of work could include (but is not limited to): leading, developing or playing a key role in relation to induction programmes, supporting culturally sensitive activities, helping develop communication skills and understanding the challenges faced by IMGs by providing guidance tailored to their unique needs, help with mentoring, coaching, practice for exams, helping with interviews and leadership roles helping fight discrimination and showing strong allyship. This work includes local, regional, national and international work.
Nominations should only include work carried out during the past two years.
The entry should demonstrate how the nominee has met at least two of the following criteria:
a) Has demonstrated innovations in cross-cultural competencies and intercultural fluency.
b) Is a proven positive role model for the rest of the psychiatric profession.
c) Has introduced awareness to the needs of IMGs’ training.
d) Has contributed towards training programs specifically in support towards IMGs.
e) Has promoted equality, diversity and inclusion in relation to IMGs and subsequently to mental health services for patients, carers and staff.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
This award recognises the critically important role that clinical academics play in conducting scientific research that improves the understanding of, and treatment and care of people with, mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and neurodivergent conditions.
- Early career grade (first 3-5 years, anything up to and including lecturer level, also including SAS)
- Mid/senior career grade (5-10 years, consultant or senior SAS level, senior lecturer and above)
Nominations should only include work carried out during the past five years. Nominees may be resident in the UK or overseas and should be a member or associate of the College.
The entry should describe how the nominee has demonstrated exceptional levels of achievement in the following areas:
a) Skill as a scholar and researcher
b) Outstanding research contribution
c) Evidence of current and potential impact.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
Specialty Doctors/Associate Specialists (SAS doctors) are essential components of service provision, providing a major share of the medical input in many teams. This award is to recognise an SAS doctor who has demonstrated advanced clinical skills as well as excelling in service development, teaching, research and leadership. Their contribution may be at local, regional or national level. The person nominated should be resident in the UK and should be a member or associate of the College.
For this category, an SAS Doctor is defined according to the BMA guidance: SAS doctors (specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors) are experienced and senior doctors in permanent posts. They have at least four years of full-time postgraduate training, two of which have been in their relevant specialty.
The entry should demonstrate excellence in at least one of the following areas:
a) Clinical work
b) Medical education
c) Leadership and management
d) Research
e) Innovation
f) Parity of esteem.
It is not expected that SAS doctors will excel in all these areas. Particular weight will be given where there is evidence of an input outside the particular team in which the doctor is working.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should demonstrate that the nominee:
a) Lives the College’s values (CIRCLE)
b) Has made a positive impact at a national and/or local level to patient and/or carer well-being.
c) Has raised the positive image of psychiatry across the rest of medicine and society.
d) Has demonstrated innovation in clinical practice and service development.
e) Is a proven positive role model for the rest of the psychiatric profession.
f) Has made psychiatry a more inclusive profession and promoted equality in mental health services for patients, carers and staff.
g) Has made efforts towards achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health, at a national and/or local level.
The judges would also particularly welcome a demonstration that the nominee has:
- co-produced approaches to psychiatry with patients and carers,
- worked with voluntary or charitable organisations,
- supported the development of psychiatric services in areas that are poorly served, or
- worked to make psychiatric services more sustainable.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
a) Quality improvement
b) Effective leadership and good teamwork
c) Effective use of resources
d) Embodiment of the biopsychosocial approach.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should describe how the team demonstrates:
a) Quality improvement
b) Effective leadership and good teamwork
c) Effective use of resources
d) Embodiment of the biopsychosocial approach.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should describe how the team demonstrates:
a) Quality improvement
b) Effective leadership and good teamwork
c) Effective use of resources
d) Embodiment of the biopsychosocial approach.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should provide evidence of at least one of the following:
a) Clinical excellence: How the team has used digital technologies to improve patient care, patient safety and clinical outcomes.
b) Patient and clinician experience: How the patient and clinician experience has been improved or streamlined by the use of digital technologies e.g., Reduction of admin burden, smoother patient journey from referral to long-term care.
c) Digital innovation: How the team has used innovative technologies not widely available in the public sector and adapted this for use for their patients e.g., AI / VR.
d) Technology and Equality: How the team has addressed issues pertaining to access to health inequalities, access to mental health services or addressed digital exclusion i.e., those patients who may not be able to access digital services due to disability or age or other factors.
e) Technology, mental health and society: How the team has engaged with the wider public around societal issues around digital mental health e.g., the effects of social media and gaming on mental health, digital privacy, the effects of screen-time on mental health.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
Applicants from jurisdictions that don't have a strict age differentiation or speciality differentiation should apply for the category which aligns with the predominant demographic of their patients.
The entry should describe how the team demonstrates:
a) Quality improvement
b) Effective leadership and good teamwork
c) Effective use of resources
d) Embodiment of the biopsychosocial approach.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The entry should describe how the team identified the research question or problem to tackle, used a systematic review or quality improvement methodology, involved and engaged key stakeholders, particularly patients and carers. It should provide evidence of the following:
- The use of a systematic method of reviewing the background literature and/or continuous quality improvement.
- How the team involved and engaged key stakeholders, including staff, patients and carers, in the research/improvement work.
- How the team identified the research question or problem to work on.
- The use of measurement to demonstrate improvement or answer research questions, with key outcomes of the research/work evidenced.
- Hypotheses or ideas that have been tested and implemented in order to achieve the aim of the work.
- What the team has learnt, through the research journey or failed tests and through the process of working together to conduct research or solve a complex quality issue.
- How the team has communicated research findings or developed a sustainable infrastructure for the new system, to ensure that improvements do not fall away or that research findings are available to others.
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken between January 2024 and December 2024 only. Activities undertaken outside these dates will not be considered.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
This Award has been developed in partnership between the 免费黑料网 and the .
The Award is to recognise work done by healthcare professionals that demonstrates an understanding of the connection between health and the environment and helps to improve the sustainability of mental health care. Projects may be service development projects or novel initiatives. Teams may be based in the UK or overseas and should contain at least one psychiatrist who is a member or associate of the College.
The entry should provide evidence of the following:
Sustainability
Demonstrate improved sustainability of mental health care, or provide an example of green care which will highlight one or more of the following areas:
- Preventative: primary, secondary or tertiary prevention of the harms of mental illness. This may usefully include close working with Public Health.
- Empowering individuals and communities: e.g. promoting opportunities for self-management, independent living through supporting community projects, social networks and employment.
- Improving value: this may include improving health outcomes while reducing economic and environmental costs. It may include projects which reduce attrition of staff members by making work and life patterns more sustainable. The team psychiatrist will have a key leadership role in demonstrating that they are caring for themselves. There will be strong links with Occupational Health and Human Resources. Early graded return to work after sick leave, career support, flexible working, and support for staff with disabilities will be prioritised.
- Considering carbon: attempts made to review and reduce the carbon footprint of care, much of which lies in procurement of medication, equipment, travel, and medical supplies. Considering the climate emergency and taking appropriate measures to limit it.
Leadership and teamwork
- Effective, collaborative leadership
- Strong team-working ethos, in which every team member has a well-defined role
- Well-defined support for staff
Effective use of resources
- Demonstrate how any reduction of resource use has been considered and achieved
- Demonstrate that quality of life for patients, carers and/or staff was improved
or download a PDF version to draft your entry.
Entries should relate to work undertaken, at least in part, between January 2024 and December 2024.
Please ensure that you have read the general rules for entry.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is chosen by the Nominations Committee at their annual autumn meeting.
If you'd like to propose a recipient for the 2026 award, please send a citation of no more than one page setting out why you feel the nominee should receive this award. Citations should be sent to MembershipServices@rcpsych.ac.uk by 15 September 2025.
Further information
If you have any queries about the awards, please contact the Membership Services team on MembershipServices@rcpsych.ac.uk.