More than a quarter of consultant psychiatry posts in Northern Ireland are “effectively empty”, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
This comes from data gathered in a census, with information collated from all five health trusts in 2025.
Northern Ireland chair, Dr Julie Anderson, said: “Behind these numbers are people – some of them vulnerable – who are waiting far too long for the support they so desperately need.”
The Department of Health said it was acutely aware of the challenges faced by the psychiatry workforce in responding to increasing demand and growing complexity in the face of high vacancy rates.
