1 February 2023

The co-leader of both KHP Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity CAP, and Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry CAG, has been elected as the new President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr Smith will be RCPsych’s first Black President, and the fifth woman at the helm.

Dr Lade Smith CBE [pictured] has been elected as the new President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych).

In a ballot turnout of 39.4% – the highest in a College Presidential election since at least 1996 – Dr Smith secured 42.8% of the votes. She becomes the 18th President on 11 July, when current President Dr Adrian James steps down. Dr Smith will be RCPsych’s first Black President, and the fifth woman at the helm.

Dr Kate Lovett, with 30.9% of the votes, and Professor Russell Razzaque, with 26.4%, were the other candidates.

Dr Smith is a co-leader of both King’s Health Partners Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity Clinical Academic Partnership (CAP), and Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Clinical Academic Group (CAG).

She told RCPsych:

I am thrilled to have been elected as the new President of the RCPsych, especially on such a high turnout. As RCPsych President, I will nurture and support psychiatrists – so we can retain and strengthen our workforce.
I will address the treatment gap – and fight for resources to deliver therapeutic care. I will also ensure fairness for all – and tackle inequality for patients and for staff.
I would like to thank Kate and Russell for fighting such excellent campaigns and ensuring that this was a fair and thorough election. They definitely stretched me and it was good to get to know them better.
Thank you to all those members who voted, whether for me or for one of the other candidates. I will work tirelessly to represent the whole membership.

Dr Lade Smith is a Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and a Visiting Senior Lecturer in the Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences (FANS) at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London. She was awarded a CBE for services to forensic psychiatric intensive care in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019.

As a consultant psychiatrist Dr Smith has 26 years’ experience in psychiatry – including 19 years at consultant level. She was voted a BMA pioneering consultant and nominated as a Woman of the Year in 2002 for the development of her ‘One Stop Shop’, a medication review and physical monitoring clinic for people with mental health problems. She is known nationally and internationally for her work in the hormonal and reproductive effects of antipsychotic medications.

Professor Sir Simon Wessely, Interim Executive Dean and former RCPsych President, said:

I am absolutely delighted for Lade and this is a historic moment for the College. It was a very high turnout and a strong field. I am sure she will prove an outstanding leader and wish her well. And I hope that like her predecessors she also enjoys it. Well done!

To learn more about the work of KHP Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity CAP, visit its website here. For more information about the Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry CAG, click here.