Open your eyes to the range of psychiatry

It is important to expose yourself to as many patients as you can in different settings: do not just stick to an inpatient ward for your whole attachment, but ensure your consultant knows what you are doing! It may take some juggling around with colleagues to ensure a balance of experience. At the start of your attachment sit down with your consultant, and discuss what opportunities and services are available in your area.

 

Your local service provision and attachment set-up will determine how easily accessible some of the specialist services are (e.g. perinatal services are only found in selected centres), but most of the basic services should be available to you. 

 

Click on the links of the subspecialties listed below to find examples of the settings of the services, common conditions seen and possible learning opportunities for medical students. Please note that these are only examples of opportunities available. Further information about the subspecialties can be found by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

Settings of mental health service

Common conditions seen

Possible opportunities

General adult

Home treatment teams, inpatient units, outpatient clinics

Psychosis, depression, bipolar affective disorder, personality disorder, anxiety disorders

Attend ward rounds, clinics, follow the home treatment team, see ward patients. 

Attend Mental Health Act assessments and tribunals if the opportunity arises.

Follow the specialist trainee oncall and take part in assessments.

Old age

Domiciliary visits, Home treatment teams, inpatient units, outpatient clinics

Dementia, functional illnesses e.g. depression and psychosis, grief.

Do a domiciliary visit. Do cognitive examinations on patients with dementia.

Child and adolescent

Mainly outpatient based. Some specialist inpatient units and day units.

Depression, anxiety, psychosis, eating disorders, school refusal, developmental disorders e.g. autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Attend specialist clinics or assessments for ADHD or emotional disorders.

Learning disabilities

Nursing and residential homes, day centres, domiciliary visits and clinics.

Challenging behaviour, Downs syndrome, autism, fragile X, other genetic syndromes.

Shadow a consultant, visit a care home, attend a clinic.

Addictions

Community based with some inpatient beds and day units.

Alcohol dependence (for detox), opioid use, crack/cocaine use, cannabis use.

See a patient and take an alcohol history or substance misuse history.

Forensic

Secure units, special hospitals,  prison in-reach and community forensic teams.

Agitated psychosis, personality disorder, substance misuse.

Attend a ward round on a low or medium secure unit. Speak to a forensic psychiatrist.

Eating disorders

Community based with some inpatient units and day units.

Anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

Take an eating disorder history.

Early intervention services

Mainly community based with some inpatient beds.

First episode psychosis, normally in those aged 14-35.

Do community visits with the team, attend a team meeting, see inpatients.

Liaison

General hospitals, often including the emergency department.

Somatisation, dissociative disorders, hypochondriasis, self-harm, medical problem with psychological complications e.g. poststroke depression.

Follow a member of a liaison team, take a patient's history and present it.

Psychotherapy

Psychological treatment services.

Complex psychological treatments, including psychodynamic therapy and cognitive behavioural and analytic therapies.

Talk to a psychologist and read up on therapy reports of patient seen.

Neuropsychiatry

Clinics and inpatient specialist units.

Neurological conditions with psychiatric sequelae e.g. Parkinson's disease, Huntingdon's disease.

Talk to psychiatrists with a special interest in neuropsychiatry and attend a clinic.

Rehabilitation and assertive outreach

Inpatient units and community services.

Schizophrenia, often with negative symptoms, dual diagnosis patients.

Do a home visit with a specialist nurse, see a patient on a rehab ward.

Young persons service

Community based. In some areas this is an under 25 year-olds service but it varies between regions.

Multidisciplinary to help a young person find their feet and learn to function. Patients may have depression, anxiety, psychoses.

Speak to a young person about their treatment and background and the range of help received.

Perinatal

Community based. Some areas have a mother and baby Unit for inpatients. General and psychiatric hospitals may admit mothers with postnatal illness.

Postnatal depression/psychosis.

Attend a domiciliary visit. Attend a clinic or ward round. See a mother with postnatal depression.

 

 

Dr Meinou Simmons

 

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Page last updated on 16 May 2010 by E Baker-Glenn

© 2010 Royal College of Psychiatrists