Short-term spark or long-term flame? Sustaining academic psychiatric departments
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the number of academic psychiatrists in the UK has declined by more than a third, despite an expansion in medical schools and growth in most other medical academic specialties. Drawing on direct experience of establishing a new academic unit, we argue that the long-term sustainability of academic psychiatry departments is critical for service quality, innovation and talent development. This paper outlines the structural, cultural and strategic factors needed to create academic units that endure and flourish beyond individual careers, enabling better integration of research and clinical practice.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Health and Medical Research Impacts
scientometrics and bibliometrics research
Historical Psychiatry and Medical Practices
Publication details
- Journal / source
- BJPsych Open
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e70–e70
- Publication date
- 23 February 2026
- Language
- EN