The “2023 International Symposium on Rehabilitation Psychology and the 2023 Academic Annual Conference of the Specialised Committee of Rehabilitation Psychology under China Association of Rehabilitation Medicine (CARM)”, organized by Guilin Hospital of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (CSU), was held in Guilin from April 7 to April 9, 2023. Professor Li Chunbo from Mental Health Centre Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine presided over the opening ceremony. The event, combining online and offline sessions, was designed to promote academic exchanges in the field of rehabilitation psychology both domestically and internationally and build a platform for academic exchanges between medical and health institutions and the Specialised Committee of Rehabilitation Psychology under CARM.

The event brought together more than 300 professionals, including Chinese and foreign experts in rehabilitation psychology, member representatives of the Specialized Committee and medical workers from Chinese medical institutions. Mr. Xu Shuqiang, head of the Department of Healthcare Reform of the National Health Commission of the PRC attended online and offered guidance. Then several speeches were delivered by Niu Enxi, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of CARM, Mo Yige, Deputy Mayor of and Director of the Public Security Bureau of Guilin municipality, Xiao Tao, Chairman of the Sixth Specialised Committee of the Rehabilitation Psychology under CARM, and Liu Xian, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of Guilin Hospital of the Second Xiangya Hospital of CSU.

The conference was themed on “integrating rehabilitation psychology with multiple disciplines to promote the high-quality and rapid development of rehabilitation psychology” and featured a series of activities during the opening ceremony, including: one “hard core” keynote speech regarding national policies, industry dynamics and frontier researches; four sub-forums with prominent highlights (including forums centred on “psychological rehabilitation of mental diseases & chronic diseases, psychological first aid, promotion of nurses’ mental health and academic promotion of the Youth Working Group and the Science Popularization Working Group”), which offered pragmatic and useful content for practical work; and one immersive “Workshop on Experiential Drill of Psychological First Aid”, during which, more than 30 participants had the opportunity to experience a case operation process in an emergency.

During the event, the book 2022 Guidelines on Psychological First Aid in Emergency was also launched. Representatives of the editorial board – Xiao Tao, Zhang Guiqing, Huang Jinkun and Maning, unveiled the book and presented copies to attendees. The book was commissioned by the Department of Medical Emergency Response of National Health Commission and has been developed and polished for nearly three years. Published by People's Medical Publishing House, the book covers broad, accurate, precise and detailed information, making it an excellent material for learning, teaching and practical drill training and a useful reference book.

The event also witnessed the establishment of the Youth Working Group and the Science Popularization Working Group of the Specialised Committee of the Rehabilitation Psychology under CARM, bringing in over 70 new members in the research and science popularization of rehabilitation psychology.

By pooling the wisdom of the Chinese experts in rehabilitation psychology and further exploring qualified academic resources of rehabilitation psychology in China, the event will boost the discipline construction and development of rehabilitation psychology as well as the implementation of the plan of “developing the Guilin Hospital of the Second Xiangya Hospital of CSU (National Regional Medical Centre) into a specialized rehabilitation hospital supported with comprehensive departments”, and provide relevant experience and support on the development of health and wellness industry in Guilin.

Moving forward, the Specialised Committee, based on the Healthy China Initiative and the national strategy to address population aging, will fully play its functional role, develop along the correct direction and centre on service enhancement; actively carry out academic exchanges and research, constantly increase its academic influence and enhance its reputation, and strengthen the integration of multiple disciplines; promote talent nurturing and team building, build a high-quality and versatile team of rehabilitation psychology professionals; prepare standards for group working, professional guides and expert consensus and promote the development of rehabilitation psychology in a regulated and standard way.