With 26 years of psychiatry experience, A/Prof Ajay Macharouthu holds three post-graduate degrees in Psychiatry:
– MD Psychiatry, India
– MRCPsych – Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK, specialising in Old Age Psychiatry with CCT (Certificate of completion of training)
– FRANZCP – Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
He specialises in Psychiatry of Old Age (POA), Neuropsychiatry and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, focusing predominantly on mental health issues in adults and older individuals. Prior to relocating to Cairns, he worked extensively as a Consultant Psychiatrist in the United Kingdom for a decade.
A/Prof Macharouthu’s special interests lie in Dementia, Delirium, and Depression. He is appointed as the Deputy Chair of Queensland Dementia Ageing and Frailty network. With his vast experience, he effectively addresses the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia through Memory clinics. He initiated the first ‘Delirium follow-up Clinic’ in Australia and was awarded the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists prize for best mental health service improvement in the year 2022.
Currently, he serves as a Senior Staff Specialist in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry for Older Persons at Cairns Hospital. A/Prof Macharouthu also serves as the Director of Neurostimulation & Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), ensuring high standards of care. Additionally, he leads mental health research in Cairns and supervises several psychiatry research projects.
Teaching and Training are among his other interests, and he holds the position of adjunct Associate Professor at James Cook University, Cairns. He also serves as the Director of Psychiatry Training for Far North Queensland, responsible for maintaining Psychiatry Training standards, assisting in recruitment, and reducing workforce disparity in Rural & Remote Far North Queensland.
Throughout his career, A/Prof Macharouthu has held significant management roles. He previously served as the Chair of the Scottish Delirium Association and co-chaired the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network) 157 Delirium Guideline, which influenced the Australian National Delirium Standard.