Dear Colleagues,
At our AGM last year, I outlined our plans for 2025. It is appropriate now to reflect on what has been achieved over the past year and to consider our direction for 2026.
In 2025 we delivered the professional development program that we proposed. We provided well-attended webinars on Addiction Medicine and Pain Management, both presented by the same speaker. We then hosted a highly supported webinar on Psychedelic Medicine which generated considerable interest and discussion. In addition, in March we sponsored a one-day conference on the Future of Youth Gender Medicine at the New South Wales Parliament House Theatrette. Over 200 people attended in person. This event demonstrated NAPP’s ongoing contribution to clinical and professional discourse on gender identity concerns and gender dysphoria among young people over the past five years.
During the year, we made submissions to the National Quality and Safety Health Service Standards. We issued public statements supporting NSW public psychiatrists engaged in a workplace dispute with NSW Health. We advocated for the continuation of telehealth consultations for private hospital inpatients. We provided conditional support for general practitioners to prescribe stimulant medication for ADHD. We also updated the NAPP Guide on the management of youth gender dysphoria. These documents are available on our website news page: https://napp.org.au/napp-news/
We have continued to follow closely the absence of public release of the College-commissioned Anna Freud Centre Review of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Mood Disorders. We have encouraged both the College and the Anna Freud Centre to make this report publicly available so that clinicians can fully appreciate the effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy in the treatment of mood disorders, particularly depressive illness. Our advocacy has included contributions to the College’s YourSay section in the Psych-e Bulletin.
We have also noted the establishment of the Australian Society of Psychiatrists, a new organisation advocating for psychiatrists, particularly those working in the public sector. We welcome their formation and look forward to potential collaboration in shared areas of interest, including education and advocacy regarding pressures from managed care and private health insurers on clinical decision-making.
Looking ahead to 2026, we will continue our webinar program on topics relevant to our members and the wider mental health community that are not covered elsewhere. Planned topics include dentistry and mental health, doctors’ wellbeing, what is psychotherapy, and professional misconduct including anti-collegial behaviour and sexual abuse within the medical profession.
We also intend to hold a major presentation or mini conference addressing the influence of managed care on clinical decision-making in private hospital and private practice settings.
We are exploring the possibility of holding a half-day mini conference in Melbourne followed by a dinner. I believe it is now timely for us to meet face-to-face and strengthen our professional relationships. While remote engagement has served us well, personal interaction remains important.
I wish to thank my colleagues on the NAPP Executive for their considerable contribution throughout the year. I thank Vice President Melinda Hill, Secretary Arjun Khaira, Treasurer Pia Brous, and Board Member Vivienne Elton for their commitment and support. For 2026 we have Melinda Hill as Vice President, Vivienne Elton as Treasurer, and ArjunKhaira continuing to serve as executive officers. We do need enthusiastic members to serve on the NAPP Board. Please let us know if you are interested – call me on ph 0422545753. I will continue on as reelected President.
I look forward to continuing our work together in 2026 and hope to serve our members interests as President.
A strong membership is essential for our continued work. I encourage you to renew your membership for 2026, and to invite colleagues to join.
Membership renewal: https://napp.org.au/member-renewal/
New membership: https://napp.org.au/join-napp/
Thank you for your ongoing engagement and support.
Yours sincerely,
Philip Morris
Professor Philip Morris AM
President NAPP
Membership
NAPP relies on its members in order to be an effective advocate for the profession of psychiatry, our
members, and our patients. It is essential that we continue to grow our membership base. If you are a
member of NAPP we would very much appreciate you re-joining each year. Also please invite your non-
NAPP colleagues to join NAPP and participate in the activities that we are providing for psychiatrists and
trainees. The annual fee is very modest. Membership applications and membership renewals can be
made through our NAPP website:
