Published on: 26 March 2024
A doctor at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been appointed to a senior role by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to promote medical leadership and improve patient care across mental health services.
Dr Rais Ahmed, who is currently a Consultant Psychiatrist at Derbyshire Healthcare and fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, will commence in his new role as Associate Registrar for Leadership and Management from April 2024 for a five-year term. The role includes chairing the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Leadership and Management Committee as well as forming part of the College Council.
As Associate Registrar, Dr Ahmed will lead, support and develop leadership and management for the college, promoting the importance of good clinical leadership and medical management to effective mental health services. The Leadership and Management Committee (LMC) promote the advancement of medical leadership. The Committee is working to embed a culture of medical leadership in mental health services, which will ultimately result in better care for patients.
Dr Ahmed has worked as a psychiatrist at Derbyshire Healthcare for nearly 12 years and has extensive experience of leadership and management roles – as a clinical director of the Trust, Chair of the Trust’s Medical Advisory Committee, and medical lead on the Trust’s electronic patient record (EPR) transformation programme.. He regularly engages in teaching as an educational supervisor for non-medical prescribers.
Empowering patients and carers is at the heart of Dr Ahmed’s work. He has been involved in several initiatives which aim to enhance mental health care through the support of Integrated Care Systems (ICS).
Dr Ahmed said: “I am proud to be able to contribute towards the Royal College of Psychiatrists and thank the Trust for being a huge supporter of this appointment.
“I will continue to strive for excellence and look forward to contributing more to the field of psychiatry to make a positive difference for patients in our care and to improve their health outcomes.”
Dr Arun Chidambaram, Medical Director at Derbyshire Healthcare, congratulated Dr Ahmed on his new appointment.
Dr Chidambaram said: “Dr Ahmed is an exceptional psychiatrist who always champions patient care, often finding new ways to make improvements and be at the centre of these developments. His work ethic is second to none and I am confident that he will be a great addition to the committee and council that he will now lead on. Dr Ahmed's vision to clarify the role of psychiatrist will really add value to patient care especially during times of rapid change.
“It goes without saying, but we are fortunate to have a colleague who is as dedicated as Dr Ahmed. I look forward to seeing him grow in this role and bring more great ideas into his work in Derbyshire.”
Dr Ahmed joins Dr Subodh Dave as a Derbyshire Healthcare psychiatrist with a senior role at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr Dave is the Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
