RANZCP Launches Your Health In Mind – Mental Health Information Resource
The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is the principal body representing the medical speciality of psychiatry in Australasia. They account for training of specialist doctors to become psychiatrists, as well as research publication, governance and policy management.
Your Health in Mind
They recently launched Your Health in Mind, a national resource for the general public to find reliable information about mental health issues. It is written in language that is easy to understand, and provides information based on the policies every Psychiatrist in the country must abide by.
The website has sections on a variety of conditions and disorders, the available treatments for them, and general information about what a psychiatrist is and how they can help. This includes the question we at CheckPoint are asked every day: what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist?
Other important resources include sections on how to find a psychiatrist, what they cost, which other mental health professionals are available and what it is they do.
The Rise of Telepsychiatry
We are particularly interested in the very informative section on Seeing a psychiatrist online, which includes advice on how to use telepsychiatry, how to find a psychiatrist online, and even a speed test for your internet connection. We strongly support the use of technological solutions to barriers between people and healthcare. Historically these challenges have been things like remote location, lack of access to public transport, and poor mobility. With the relative accessibility of the internet, these obstacles are becoming easier to overcome, meaning that people everywhere are able to access the same high quality care that they deserve.
From Your Health in Mind:
What can you find here?
This website provides expert information about mental illness, treatments, psychiatrists, and how to get help.
It’s written in plain English, based on the best available evidence. It’s especially for Australians and New Zealanders.
We know that many people aren’t sure about things like:
- the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist
- what psychiatrists do and how they can help with mental health problems
- what happens when you visit a psychiatrist
- how to find and get in touch with a psychiatrist.
We hope this website will answer these questions.
Who wrote this website?
This site is produced by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP).
The information has been developed in collaboration with subject matter experts, including psychiatrists and other health professionals.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are experts in mental health.
People with experience of mental illness and their carers have also been closely involved. They’ve shared valuable insights that only someone who’s ‘been there, done that’ will really know.
It does not include advertising, and does not endorse commercial products.
Tell us what you need
The information on this website is regularly updated and new topics will be added over time.
We welcome feedback and your ideas on what else you’d like to know.
Make sure you get the right help
This website provides general information and advice. It doesn’t replace the individual advice and care provided by psychiatrists and other health professionals.
Please speak to your doctor for advice about your situation.
Accessibility
The website has been developed to meet Web Content Accessibility 2.0 guidelines, at the AA level.
If you notice anything that is difficult for you to understand or access, please provide feedback via the form available on every web page.
Acknowledgements
We thank the many people involved in developing the information on this website. Psychiatrists, other health professionals, consumers and carers all shared their considerable expertise with us.
The RANZCP has received Australian Government funding under the Specialist Training Program.
We acknowledge that we work on Aboriginal land and pay our respects to community members and Elders, past and present.