West of the rest, the sun sets over the ocean, and Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar, as the Seven Sisters begin to illuminate the darkness.
On behalf of the Organising Committee, we are delighted to invite you to attend the RANZCP 2023 Congress being held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from 28 May-1 June 2023.
Across the world, as we begin to evaluate our responses to the COVID-19 pandemic globally, and locally, in Western Australia we reflect on how our loss of connection to other states and territories has affected us and our provision of mental healthcare. So, it is with real joy that we invite you to attend Congress in our glorious state!
We have curated a scientific program which will spark your curiosity, challenge your assumptions and feed your imagination about how to achieve a truly connected mental healthcare system. We ask you to imagine how resplendent the new horizon would look if all peoples in Australia and New Zealand were truly represented, and included, in our mental healthcare system.
We invite you to reflect on how our interconnectedness is our greatest strength; our connections with each other in our personal and professional lives, our connections with the diverse cultures in our communities, and our connection to place with First Nations people as forebearers of this knowledge.
We encourage you to imagine a new horizon where the knowledge that climate health equals mental health is fully integrated into our systems and treatments.
We urge you to envisage what the next horizon will be in biological psychiatry and the delivery of evidence-based treatments. We encourage you to consider how the criminal justice system, mental healthcare system, disability sector and drug and alcohol services are all inextricably interwoven and how to provide care that is truly integrated, and person centered.
For those of you who will attend Congress for the first time, either in person, or virtually, we look forward to welcoming you and we are proud to offer both attendance options to cater for the broad needs of our community.
And finally, we impel you to explore Western Australia - from the crystalline, azure blue waters and white sandy beaches to the sublime tastes of the Margaret River, and from the beauty of the Ningaloo reef to the creative energy of Fremantle. Our state will inspire you - see you in 2023!
Drs Katherine Sevar and Mike Verheggen
RANZCP 2023 Congress Co-convenors