Royal College of Psychiatrists Defends Qatar Partnership Amid Member Protests
LONDON – The Royal College of Psychiatrists is facing significant backlash from members over a recently announced partnership with Qatar, with some psychiatrists deeming the collaboration “morally unacceptable.” The college announced the initiative earlier this year,aiming too broaden international access to its psychiatric exams.
Critics have raised concerns about Qatar’s human rights record, specifically regarding women’s rights, the treatment of migrant workers, the request of the death penalty, and laws criminalizing same-sex practices.
Dr. Clare Gerada, a former president of the Royal College of General Practitioners and a member of the royal College of Psychiatrists, stated she welcomed expanded international access but questioned the choice of Qatar, saying, “there are lots of countries that you could have chosen that would avoid issues of women’s rights, migrant workers and the death penalty on the statute for certain same-sex practices.” She described the partnership as “a mistake.”
Prof Michael bloomfield, consultant psychiatrist and head of the translational psychiatry research group at University College London, labeled the partnership “entirely morally unacceptable,” adding, “It’s extremely regrettable where we’re in this situation where our college is choosing to operate in a country which is constitutionally homophobic.”
The Royal College of Psychiatrists defended the decision, stating its approach is “anti-discriminatory and evidence-based, deliberately avoiding a colonial mindset of selectively deciding who we will or won’t work with.” The college emphasized it is “guided by the medical needs, working with doctors, not governments,” and that its decisions are “always led by our values and will be in keeping with the Charity Commission’s expectations.”
