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SectionThe Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS) was established 50 years ago ,on 20 July 1958, a year after the Treaty of Rome was signed. All recognised specialities were invited to set up arrangements for their representation in the Councils of the European Union and a central management council was located in Brussels. Psychiatry was initially slow to respond and the Section for Psychiatry was established in 1990. The Board was established in 1992. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry established a separate Section and Board in August 1993. Each National Medical Association in the European Union is asked to identify two senior representatives. In the case of the Speciality of Psychiatry, in order to assist efficiency and limit costs, these representatives serve on both the Section and Board and these meet on consecutive days. Meetings are held twice per annum in a different member state location. The formal agendae are usually preceded by a day of presentations on national practice and organisation and a visit to local psychiatric services. There is particular focus on training and especially trainee experience. This element of the meeting allows each host organisation in rotation the opportunity to demonstrate achievements and to discuss concerns relating to training and professional practice with a representative body of colleagues with international perspective. This is often valued by the host in support of change and development of training and services in subsequent negotiation with local managers, academic departments, government and other agencies. The Section and Board meetings which follow take a standard agenda format with some allocation of time for the operation of working groups. These groups focus on topics on which the committee wishes to formulate a statement from a pan-European perspective. They usually also entail work between meetings. The Section takes as its remit general issues relating to psychiatric practice in Europe, the Board focuses on training issues. Representatives of European psychiatric bodies and of psychiatric trainees are invited to participate in both. Reports from past Section Meetings can be located on this website and illustrate recent areas of interest. |