VOX Scotland welcomes the publication of the Scottish Government’s Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Working Group Final Report, released in June 2025. We are particularly encouraged that the report draws upon key recommendations from our Your Views: Psychiatrists in Scotland report, which highlighted insights from people with lived experience of psychiatric care.
Including lived-experience perspectives in policymaking is vital. It ensures that efforts to enhance recruitment and retention in psychiatry are grounded in real-world needs, experiences, and expectations. These recommendations—which span improved workplace support, enhanced training pathways, and more inclusive service design—have the potential to strengthen Scotland’s psychiatric workforce for years to come.
VOX looks forward to collaborating with the Scottish Government, NHS boards, and other stakeholders to help turn these recommendations into tangible improvements in mental health services.