Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis,
Registrar
“Consultants and Regional Advisors have requested that we
produce up to date guidance setting out what are reasonable
expectations of workload for Consultants, reflecting the increasing
variety of posts that services are developing. The simple model of
catchment area size is no longer applicable in many areas.
Clear message
Although it can be difficult to provide advice
about workload, in the absence of such advice, some Psychiatrists
feel under pressure to take on larger workloads or work in services
in which they feel there is insufficient medical support. A very
clear message from the patient and carer groups within the College
is that they would like to have more and not less Consultant
involvement in their care and would wish to have more time with
their Consultant, both as inpatients and outpatients, in order to
discuss the diagnosis and advantages and disadvantages of treatment
options.
Setting sensible standards
The guidance should also be seen as the
College setting standards and ground rules about what workforce is
necessary to provide high quality services. Such standards are not
yet being achieved in all places. The guidance is not an attempt to
get Psychiatrists to work harder, but rather to ensure that at a
time when services are under financial pressure, the College sets
clear standards and expectations of Consultant workload. It will of
course be up to providers of services to determine whether to
follow national professional guidance, but clearly if they do not,
this would need to be justified to local communities. The guidance
does not seek to be a wish list but to be sensible standards which
are implemented in some settings.
I would be grateful if you would read the
document and email comments to me the
Registrar by 6 June 2012.”
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