Colchester doctor wins national award for excellence in medical education
A Colchester doctor has been recognised with a prestigious national award for his outstanding contribution to medical education in the field of mental health.
Dr Rajesh Rama Iyer, Medical Director at Cygnet Hospital Colchester, was named Medical Educator of the Year at the Cygnet Health Care Annual Psychiatrists Conference and National Awards 2024.
The accolade celebrates Dr Iyer’s dedication to training and supporting doctors working in mental health.
Dr Iyer said: “I am truly humbled and honoured to receive the Cygnet Educator of the Year Award. This recognition is not just a reflection of my own efforts, but of the incredible support, collaboration, encouragement, and shared dedication of everyone around me. It gives me immense pleasure to support the highly experienced doctors working in Cygnet Health Care to achieve Specialist Registration and provide excellent care to our patients.”
Dr Iyer joined Cygnet Hospital Colchester in 2018 as a Consultant Psychiatrist and became Medical Director in 2019. Originally qualifying in India, he has been a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists since 2010 and brings more than 15 years of psychiatric experience across both the NHS and independent sector.
He has worked in a wide range of mental health services including secure units, acute wards, learning disability services and community settings, and is passionate about ensuring patients are fully involved in their treatment.
Dr Iyer was presented with his award by Professor Subodh Dave, Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who said: “Dr Iyer has demonstrated exceptional leadership by incorporating ideas from both experienced supervisors and doctors completing the pathway to enhance accessibility. Despite his demanding clinical schedule, Dr Iyer ensures that all doctors in the programme have supervisors and meticulously creates an annual programme of facilitated groups, actively participating in both.
“He is an inspiring role model and motivator, deeply passionate about his role. This passion is evident in the high participation rates in his monthly teaching sessions. His dedicated efforts have significantly propelled the momentum of this programme and will leave a lasting legacy in psychiatric training.”
The Cygnet Health Care conference, themed “Beyond risk: advancing suicide prevention through partnership and practice”, brought together clinicians from across the UK. Organised by Cygnet, one of the country’s largest independent providers of mental health services, the event concluded with the annual awards celebrating excellence in psychiatric care and education.
Cygnet CEO Dr Tony Romero said: “These awards are a testament to the achievements of our dedicated doctors and their teams. Their compassionate and value-driven approach makes a profound difference in the lives of the people we support.”
Cygnet Hospital Colchester, on Boxted Road, Mile End, is a 59-bed hospital which provides a range of intensive support and rehabilitation services for men with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and mental health needs.
