Adrian James MBBS, FRCPsych, MSc

Adrian was elected President in 2020. He holds this role until 2023 and leads the RCPsych on behalf of its members and associates. Adrian is a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Langdon Hospital in Dawlish, Devon. He is a former Medical Director of Devon Partnership NHS Trust and founding Chair of the School of Psychiatry at the Peninsular Deanery (2006-2008).

He was the elected Chair of the South West Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2007-2011) and sat on the College Council in this capacity. In 2010 he was appointed Chair of the Westminster Parliamentary Liaison Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (attending the three main Party Conferences 2011-14 in this capacity).

He was Clinical Director for Mental Health, Dementia, and Neurology, working for NHS England South West (2013-2015, interim from 2012-13). He has also acted as a Reviewer and Clinical Expert for the Healthcare Commission and its successor organization the Care Quality Commission. He has chaired expert review groups on Integrated Care Systems, Cannabis, Prevent, and Learning from Deaths. In addition, he set up the Quality Improvement Committee and the Workforce Wellbeing Committee at the College.