Relapse rates for individuals with anorexia nervosa after intensive hospital treatment (in-patient or full-time day care) are high. Better knowledge about the difficulties and opportunities that arise during this transition is needed to identify factors that support or hinder continued recovery upon discharge.

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of adult patients and their chosen carers on the process of transitioning from intensive eating disorder treatment settings to the community.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients with anorexia nervosa (n = 11) discharged from day or in-patient care from specialised eating disorder units across the UK, and their chosen carers (n = 20). Data were analysed with inductive thematic analysis.

Four interrelated themes were identified for both groups. For patients, themes were continuity of care, ambivalence about continued recovery, the value of social support and a call for enhanced transition support. For carers, themes were the impact of the eating disorder on themselves and the family, perceptions of recovery and support post-discharge, the impact of previous treatment and care experiences, and desire to create a supportive transition process.

The study provides an insight into the unique challenges that individuals with anorexia nervosa face upon leaving intensive treatment. A lack of post-discharge planning, support system and identity formation outside of anorexia nervosa were perceived as barriers to continued recovery. Patients and carers advocated for transition support that incorporates a phased, inclusive approach with accessible professional and social support in the community.

The ‘MRCPsych Course’ (Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists) is provided to all core trainees in psychiatry in Wales by the School of Psychiatry, Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), now delivered online since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of the HEIW MRCPsych course are: to prepare core trainees for the MRCPsych exams and to set a ‘robust platform’ for speciality training at the higher level in psychiatry. We undertook a quality assurance of the 2020/21 academic year to see how content and delivery of the course were serving these aims and make recommendations for improvement.

Over the course of one academic year we triangulated trainee feedback, lecturer feedback and peer review. Trainee and trainer feedback forms were sent out following every session. We developed standards and criteria for peer review and reviewed 10% of sessions. We conducted focus groups with trainees using mentimeter to structure a real time, anonymous interaction with parallel verbal and written discussions using a virtual meeting.

Trainee feedback forms were received for 31 lectures from an average of 11 trainees per session. 14 Lecturer feedback forms were received, and 48 trainees attended the two focus groups. 15 hours of teaching underwent peer review.

Lecture content was universally accurate and up to date and all teachers were fluent and engaging, with almost all incorporating research data, guidelines and inspiration for further learning.

Several lecturer feedback forms requested a curriculum be provided. Some trainees requested a more exam focused approach with more MCQs.

Trainees found online sessions more accessible and convenient. The major downside being that they no longer get to know each other and feel very anonymous, which makes peer support and interaction more difficult.

Interactive engagement was the lowest scored domain overall. Interaction seemed to work best when done as a continuous process from the start and when a variety of techniques were engaged. Trainee's suggestions for increasing interactivity included quizzes, polls, breakout rooms, use of interactive tools, and a general encouragement of cameras and microphones on and active discussion throughout the session.

Speakers had no problems using the technology to deliver an online session, this triangulated with their high confidence and high satisfaction reported by lectures with HEIW practical support. Trainees reported a high satisfaction with the quality of teaching on the course.

Our conclusions have informed changes which are currently being implemented and tested.

Caring for a loved one with an eating disorder typically comes with a multitude of challenges, yet siblings and partners are often overlooked. It is important to understand if current clinical guidance for supporting carers are effective and being utilised for these groups, to help meet their needs.

To identify the experiential perspectives of siblings and partners of a loved one with an eating disorder compared with guidance for improving the adequacy of support provided to carers published by Beat and Academy for Eating Disorders.

Three online focus groups were held for ten siblings and five partners from across the UK (12 females and three males). Carers had experience of caring for a loved one with anorexia nervosa (13 carers) or bulimia nervosa (two carers), across a range of therapeutic settings. Focus group transcriptions were analysed with thematic analysis.

Four key themes were identified: (a) role-specific needs, (b) challenges encountered by siblings and partners, (c) generic needs and helpful strategies or approaches, and (d) accounts of service provision and family support.

Overall, the majority of experiences reported by siblings and partners did not meet the published guidance. Consequently, clinical practice recommendations were identified for services, alongside the charity sector, to take a proactive approach in detecting difficulties, providing skills training and emotional/practical support, adapting/tailoring peer support groups and supporting online facilitation. Our findings part-informed the design of our national online survey on loved ones’ experiences of care in eating disorders.

To ensure autististic prisoners are understood and receive necessary support in custodial environment.

1. 1. Prison healthcare staff and discipline staff jointly trained about autism and how it is best managed in prison setting.

2. 2. Promotion re-education aids for prisons visually and verbally.

3. 3. Prison staff as autistic champions.

4. 4. Accessible autistic spectrum lead in healthcare team to coordinate need.

priority that prison becomes autism accredited by national autistic society in progress.

There is increase of prisoners with neurodevelopmental disorders and ensuring their needs met in prison and this is CAT A challenging prison environment.

Early COVID-19 research suggests a detrimental impact of the initial lockdown on young people's mental health.

We investigated mental health among university students and young adults after the first UK lockdown and changes in symptoms over 6 months.

In total, 895 university students and 547 young adults not in higher education completed an online survey at T1 (July–September 2020). A subset of 201 university students also completed a 6 month follow-up survey at T2 (January–March 2021). Anxiety, depression, insomnia, substance misuse and suicide risk were assessed.

At T1, approximately 40%, 25% and 33% of the participants reported moderate to severe anxiety and depression and substance misuse risk, clinically significant insomnia and suicidal risk. In participants reassessed at T2, reductions were observed in anxiety and depression but not in insomnia, substance misuse or suicidality. Student and non-student participants reported similar levels of mental health symptoms. Student status was not a significant marker of mental health symptoms, except for lower substance misuse risk.

Cross-sectionally, greater symptoms across measures were consistently associated with younger age, pre-existing mental health conditions, being a carer, worse financial status, increased sleep irregularity and difficulty since lockdown. Longitudinally, T2 symptoms were consistently associated with worse financial status and increased difficulty sleeping at T1. However, these associations were attenuated when baseline mental health symptoms were adjusted for in the models.

Mental health symptoms were prevalent in a large proportion of young people after the first UK lockdown. Risk factors identified may help characterise high-risk groups for enhanced support and inform interventions.

Mentorship supports professional development, academic outcomes, and wellness. Effective mentorship can develop careers of faculty through greater access, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). At a Department of Psychiatry in Canada, a recent survey showed more than 60% faculty were without mentors and would like to have one; and 75% mentors received no training nor resources to support mentorship. The aims of the Psychiatry Mentorship Program are to facilitate sharing of expertise, self-reflection, and career growth among faculty.

A Mentorship Working Group was formed in 2020–2021. The Mentorship Program design was evidence-informed by a literature review and consultation with other mentorship programs. While a traditional primary mentor-mentee relationship is at the core of the program, the mentorship dyad will be further supported by mentorship groups focused on academic roles, areas of scholarship and career development (e.g., clinician scientists; wellness) or specific groups (e.g., members of a minority group). The program offers an online mentor/mentee matching process, based on faculty self-reported scholarship interests, academic roles, and preferences related to social identity. A three-year evaluation strategy, guided by a logic model, is integrated throughout program implementation. Mentees and mentors are expected to complete a baseline assessment upon program enrolment and annual follow-up questionnaires. Continuous quality improvement of the Mentorship Program will be based on user experience collected via focus groups and interviews where perception and concepts, such as intersectionality, wellness, and EDI, will be explored.

The Mentorship Program pilot was launched in fall 2021 with mentor and mentee virtual orientation workshops offering best practices and opportunities for reflection on challenges that may be encountered during a mentoring relationship. Thirty-six faculty mentors and 60 newly appointed faculty mentees attended the orientation workshops respectively. Workshop evaluations were positive. For example, 93% participating mentors indicated that the workshop met its learning objectives; 80% rated the workshop as excellent. Eighty-seven percent of mentor participants reported increased awareness of best practices to support successful mentorship, including the use of contracts and developmental plans, and indicated the workshop stimulated reflection and learning.

This preliminary positive feedback suggests faculty found the orientation workshops on mentorship to be useful and thus represents an effective mode of facilitating implementation of a department wide mentorship program. We anticipate the implementation of our mentorship program could be adapted to other academic settings.

Experience of crisis care may vary across different care models.

To explore the experience of care in standard care and ‘open dialogue’ (a peer-supported community service focused on open dialogue and involving social networks for adults with a recent mental health crisis) 3 months after a crisis.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 participants (6 received open dialogue; 5 received treatment as usual (TAU)) in a feasibility study of open dialogue and analysed the data using a three-step inductive thematic analysis to identify themes that (a) were frequently endorsed and (b) represented the experiences of all participants.

Four themes emerged: (a) feeling able to rely on and access mental health services; (b) supportive and understanding family and friends; (c) having a choice and a voice; and (d) confusion and making sense of experiences. Generally, there was a divergence in experience across the two care models. Open dialogue participants often felt able to rely on and access services and involve their family and friends in their care. TAU participants described a need to rely on services and difficulty when it was not met, needing family and friends for support and wanting them to be more involved in their care. Some participants across both care models experienced confusion after a crisis and described benefits of sense-making.

Understanding crisis care experiences across different care models can inform service development in crisis and continuing mental healthcare services.

The use of distance-based interventions (DBIs) to reduce suicidal ideation and behaviours are an increasingly relevant form of intervention. DBIs are more affordable, scalable and available than traditional face-to-face interventions, helping to narrow the gap between needed and provided care.

To evaluate the overall effectiveness of DBIs against suicidal ideation and behaviours.

We systematically searched Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed for all DBIs primarily aimed at reducing suicidal ideation and behaviours. Data were analysed with a robust variance estimation corrected, multi-level meta-analysis.

We found 38 studies, reporting 110 outcomes. Effectiveness in reducing suicidal ideation was low (standardised mean difference −0.174, 95% CI −0.238 to −0.110). DBIs were significantly less effective against suicidal behaviours than against suicidal ideation, although still effective (standardised mean difference −0.059, 95% CI −0.087 to −0.032). Human involvement had no significant effect on effectiveness.

Despite low effectiveness, DBIs might play a role in large-scale prevention efforts against suicidal ideation within a stepped care approach. Further, DBIs may be helpful in expanding mental health services in low- and middle-income countries with otherwise limited access to mental healthcare. Although the evidence for DBIs efficacy is well grounded, the technical and scientific evaluation of DBIs regarding their set up, functionality and components needs to be addressed in future studies.

Inequalities in health outcomes, and avoidable deaths, in people with intellectual disability has highlighted the need for improved training and education in Intellectual Disability and Autism. Simulation training facilitated by actors with intellectual disability has been shown to improve connection with people with intellectual disability (Attoe et al 2017). The aim of this project was to develop a simulation-based training course, focused on topics in mental health, intellectual disability and autism, to improve participant confidence in clinical knowledge and skills, as well as support leadership and professionalism training. Here we evaluate the impact of the training on participants’ confidence, and the longer-term effect on attitudes and working practice after attendance.

A novel simulation-based training course, directed at Specialty Trainees, was developed based on the Specialty Training in Learning Disability curriculum. The course was co-delivered by a person with intellectual disability. Participants who attended the simulation training completed general feedback, pre-course and post-course confidence questionnaires and attended a semi-structured group interview at 2 months. Questionnaire data weres analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Group interview data were analysed using open & axial coding, and thematic analysis of content. The project was approved by East London NHS Foundation Trust Governance and Ethics Committee for Studies and Evaluations.

Eight psychiatrists participated in the training and completed the pre-course and post-course questionnaires. Independent t-test found significant increase in confidence for all scores from pre-course (M = 6.54, SE0.24) to post-course (M = 7.81, SE = 0.36), t= –2.93 p = 0.01. This included ratings of confidence in knowledge in areas such as mental health legislation, and improved confidence in skills such as communication with families of people with intellectual disability and difficult conversations with senior supervisors. In follow-up interviews we elucidated themes of the importance of supported, structured training opportunities with people with intellectual disability, and the value of connection with peers and supervisors.

Simulation based training in psychiatry, co-delivered with actors with intellectual disability, was reported to be an engaging and enjoyable form of learning. The evaluation suggests such training is effective in increasing trainee confidence in knowledge and skills at the time of training as well as resulting in a lasting change in attitudes after the training. We recommend such training be further developed and delivered at both postgraduate and undergraduate level.

The Northern Ireland psychiatry mentoring scheme, in which higher trainees mentor core trainee year 1 (CT1) doctors, has been running for four years. In this year's scheme, implemented in August 2021, we have expanded the scope of the scheme and implemented an online platform to match and connect mentors and mentees. Our aim was to gather baseline data regarding the experiences of mentors and mentees and to capture information regarding the content of mentoring meetings and attitudes towards format of meetings.

Higher psychiatry trainees were invited to sign up as mentors through the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA) and Royal College of Psychiatry Northern Ireland (RCPsych NI) mailing lists. Mentors were obliged to complete a theoretical module on training before meeting their mentees. Core trainees in the first and second year of training were asked to opt-out of the scheme if they preferred not to be involved. CT3 trainees were offered the opportunity to opt-in to the scheme. There were a total of 16 mentors and 22 mentees at the outset. The NIMDTA Professional Support Unit provided an online platform, Mentornet, which allowed mentors and mentees to complete a profile, for mentees to rank their preferences for mentor, and to facilitate meetings. One of the authors (M.M.) presented the developments in the scheme to a nationwide audience in the RCPsych webinar on mentoring.

Six mentors and two mentees responded to the call to complete a baseline online questionnaire. 83% of mentors responded that they had found their role enjoyable and rewarding, whilst 67% of mentors indicated that their role had helped them develop in other skill areas. Both mentees responded that they had found the scheme beneficial and would recommend participation to other trainees.

Mentorship is a valuable opportunity for senior psychiatry trainees to facilitate the professional development of junior trainees and to pass on their experience. This is the first year that all core trainees have been invited to participate and that a new web platform has been used to facilitate meetings. Baseline feedback response numbers have been limited although the responses were universally positive. We intend to obtain further feedback at the end of this year in order to devise quality improvement measures for the 2022/2023 cohort.

Digital technologies have been widely acknowledged as a potentially useful resource for increasing mental healthcare access. The working alliance is a key influence on outcomes in conventional psychotherapy, but little is known about therapists’ experiences of forming an effective working alliance in blended interventions that involve in-person psychotherapy and a digital programme.

To investigate psychological well-being practitioners’ (PWPs’) experiences of the working alliance in a trial of blended cognitive–behavioural therapy (b-CBT) for depression. Trial registration ISRCTN12388725.

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 PWPs who delivered b-CBT in a two-arm, non-inferiority randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of b-CBT compared with face-to-face CBT. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Participants reported four facilitating factors when building and maintaining a working alliance in b-CBT: having more time to deliver treatment, access to a wider toolkit, capacity to tailor components of b-CBT and receiving appropriate training and support. Participants also identified four barriers to building and maintaining a working alliance: time and resource constraints, usability challenges, limited flexibility to tailor the digital programme to patients’ needs and lack of confidence in delivering b-CBT.

Our study is the first specifically to investigate practitioners’ perceived facilitators and barriers to forming a working alliance in b-CBT for depression. Findings suggest that PWPs’ experiences of the working alliance can be improved by: accounting for the time required to deliver b-CBT in service workflows to reduce time pressures; increasing opportunities to tailor the digital programme through offering transdiagnostic tools and adaptable features; and providing appropriate b-CBT training and technical support.

To design a virtual simulation training session for junior doctors starting their psychiatry rotation, to be delivered virtually at induction. To measure how this changes doctors' confidence and knowledge about the rotation.

A small committee of experienced psychiatric trainees decided on a set of 5 common on call scenarios. Focus was given to clinical scenarios that involve the use of good communication skills with patients and with other clinical staff encountered on call such as Nurses and HCAs.

The 5 stations focused on:

Using section 5(2), risk assessment

rapid tranquilisation

neuroleptic malignant syndrome

alcohol detoxification

managing self harm and ligatures.

Each scenario utilised real world documentation as tools for the candidate to utilise (drug charts, NEWS charts etc) to increase fidelity. Detailed actor briefs were drawn up with instructions for the facilitators.

During delivery of the sessions, a ‘safe learning space’ was set before individual learners took on the scenarios. ‘Time outs’ were utilised to allow the candidate to think through the scenario with the facilitator.

After each scenario, the facilitator then used crib sheets to lead ‘mini tutorials’ for 10 minutes around each scenario to flesh out the theoretical and practical learning points. The simulation-trained actors gave feedback on communication skills. Candidates were provided with feedback forms at the conclusion.

Feedback from the sessions was overwhelmingly positive. Every single candidate (n = 30) either agreed or strongly agreed that the session met the learning outcomes of increasing confidence, creating a realistic setting, being a fun and enjoyable introduction to psychiatric services.

Blank space feedback was also excellent, with many doctors asking for further expansion of the development of the session into a rolling program, and expansion of the scenarios to include more complex clinical situations that involve other members of the MDT.

The virtual simduction programme is an effective way to improve confidence and knowledge of common scenarios faced for junior doctors new to a psychiatry rotation. Further development will involve a transition to a face-to-face programme and integration of the wider MDT, including nurses, support workers and pharmacists.

Foundation Doctors are exposed to a range of specialties within the Foundation Programme, with 20.9% completing a psychiatry rotation. Those who do not have a psychiatry rotation may have little experience other than what was acquired in undergraduate training, despite being expected to care for patients with mental health problems. According to Mind (2017), one in four people will experience a mental health problem each year thus essential that our medical workforce know and understand the basic principles of psychiatry to aid their management of core psychiatric conditions. The aim of this project was to improve mental health literacy among Foundation Doctors by improving their communication, formulation and risk management skills. Another objective was to encourage uptake to Psychiatry and help plug the high number of unfilled Consultant posts.

The initial pilot was carried out between January and June 2021 over zoom and the sessions were optional. A survey was completed to find out which topics were most relevant and common themes included MCA/MHA interface, risk management and treatment of various conditions. These themes were incorporated into 90-minute sessions which included interactive case-based discussion in small breakout groups and some didactic teaching. The six session topics were EUPD, Dementia, Depression, Delirium, Substance Misuse and Alcohol Misuse. The sessions were facilitated by clinicians of mixed experience from Foundation Doctors to Consultants. Participant knowledge was tested using pre- and post-session quizzes and a working group reviewed feedback, making relevant changes subsequently.

Feedback was majorly positive, and attendees valued the interactivity, breakout rooms, case studies and choice of topics. Suggested areas of improvement were having more time for discussion, technical difficulties, and less psychiatric ‘jargon’, but these tended to be isolated comments. Five out of six sessions showed an improvement in assessment scores afterwards, with an average improvement of 12.6% (average pre-session score of 70% and average post-session score of 82.6%). One session showed a decrease in the post-session quiz scores which on reflection showed that the questions in the assessment covered material not included in the session.

The virtual programme was an effective way of improving knowledge and confidence in psychiatry. Whilst the sessions were positively received and showed improvements in post-session scores, there were some limitations which will be addressed and used to develop future training. There is now more mental health woven throughout the new Foundation curriculum and expected that much of this content will be covered during Foundation Training.

Visual experiences such as hallucinations are commonly reported by people with psychosis, psychological trauma and dissociative states, although questions remain about their similarities and differences. For diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, clinical research must better delineate and compare the characteristics of these experiences in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in schizophrenia.

To compare visual phenomena and dissociation in participants with a primary psychotic illness and those with a trauma diagnosis.

A quantitative group design study comparing visual phenomena in three participant groups who also have a history of hearing voices: schizophrenia and no trauma history (n = 19), PTSD with dissociation (n = 17) and comorbid schizophrenia and PTSD (n = 20). Validated clinical measures included the North-East Visual Hallucination Interview, PTSD Symptoms Scale Interview, Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale, Psychotic Symptoms Rating Scales and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.

There was a remarkable similarity in visual experiences, including rates of complex visual hallucinations, between the three diagnostic groups. There were no significant differences in the severity or components of distress surrounding the visual experiences. Dissociation predicted visual hallucination severity for the comorbid schizophrenia and PTSD group, but not for PTSD or schizophrenia alone.

Visual experiences in PTSD can include visual hallucinations that are indistinguishable from those experienced in schizophrenia. Multimodal hallucinations are frequently observed in both schizophrenia and PTSD. A model for visual hallucinations in PTSD is suggested, following two separate neurobiological pathways based on distinct responses to trauma.

Internationally, an increasing proportion of emergency department visits are mental health related. Concurrently, psychiatric wards are often occupied above capacity. Healthcare providers have introduced short-stay, hospital-based crisis units offering a therapeutic space for stabilisation, assessment and appropriate referral. Research lags behind roll-out, and a review of the evidence is urgently needed to inform policy and further introduction of similar units.

This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of short-stay, hospital-based mental health crisis units.

We searched EMBASE, Medline, CINAHL and PsycINFO up to March 2021. All designs incorporating a control or comparison group were eligible for inclusion, and all effect estimates with a comparison group were extracted and combined meta-analytically where appropriate. We assessed study risk of bias with Risk of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies – of Interventions and Risk of Bias in Randomized Trials.

Data from twelve studies across six countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, The Netherlands, UK and USA) and 67 505 participants were included. Data indicated that units delivered benefits on many outcomes. Units could reduce psychiatric holds (42% after intervention compared with 49.8% before intervention; difference = 7.8%; P < 0.0001) and increase out-patient follow-up care (χ2 = 37.42, d.f. = 1; P < 0.001). Meta-analysis indicated a significant reduction in length of emergency department stay (by 164.24 min; 95% CI −261.24 to −67.23 min; P < 0.001) and number of in-patient admissions (odds ratio 0.55, 95% CI 0.43–0.68; P < 0.001).

Short-stay mental health crisis units are effective for reducing emergency department wait times and in-patient admissions. Further research should investigate the impact of units on patient experience, and clinical and social outcomes.

Background and Aim: Psychodynamic psychiatry training seminars are a blended supervision and experiential style approach to training health care professionals in reflective practice and formulation. They apply psychodynamic theory through case formulations, seminars, and Balint groups so that health care staff can improve their communication style, formulation skills and enhance their appreciation for patients with complex mental health problems. Our aim is to evaluate the provision of our psychodynamic psychiatry training sessions for doctors in psychiatry, gastroenterology, and emergency medicine, and to evaluate the perceived benefits of attending in terms of personal and professional development.

Methods: The evaluation used a standardized mixed-methods approach, with the sample consisting of psychiatry core trainees (n = 9), gastroenterology higher trainees (n = 4), and emergency medicine doctors (n = 10). The evaluation period was between October 2021 and January 2022. Data were gathered via a survey tool, adapted from the literature using Likert scales and free text questions to identify barriers and facilitators to the sessions.

Results: All participants (n = 23) scored the group highly across the board in terms of acceptability, clinical impact, and fidelity measures. All participants reported that they have a better appreciation of group dynamics, the impact of the doctor's humanity and personality on their clinical work, and the symbolic meaning of the patient's symptoms. Notably, approximately 60% reported that the sessions were relevant to their ongoing training needs and that 95% of participants felt the sessions were a safe place to express and process anxieties and frustrations about their work. All participants either agreed or strongly agreed the group had changed the way they think and practice, and that they felt able to consider their clinical encounters in a new light.

Conclusion: This evaluation reports early findings on psychodynamic psychiatry teaching for different medical groups. Overall, the participants felt the sessions were relevant to their training and improved their personal and professional development. Key benefits of the group were highlighted and included increased insight into the emotional and symbolic aspects of the patient's symptoms and clinical issues, team working through cohesion, and the humanity of the doctor in the clinical relationship with the patient. This suggests that the sessions provide a much-needed space to process and reflect on the often-intense demands of clinical work, individually and as a team. The main theme within barriers to the group processes was external in terms of other clinical demands requiring prioritization.

The aim of this survey was to establish how higher psychiatry trainees are using special interest sessions. Special interest sessions provide trainees with the opportunity to gain additional experience and are defined as ‘a clinical or clinically related area of service which cannot be provided within the training post but which is of direct relevance to the prospective career pathway of the trainee.’ The Curriculum for Specialist Training in Psychiatry states that two sessions every week must be devoted during each year of Specialty training for such personal development, which may be taken in research or to pursue special clinical interests.

All higher psychiatry trainees working within Health Education England (HEE) Wessex Deanery were invited to complete a survey using Google Forms between 1st March 2021 and 1st April 2021. The survey included multiple choice and open questions relating to the accessibility, use and content of special interest sessions. Participants were asked to comment on their experiences. Quantitative data were analysed using Excel and qualitative data were collated and reviewed.

20 of the total 42 higher psychiatry trainees responded with the highest response rates from trainees in Old Age Psychiatry and dual training posts. 25% were using all their entitled special interest sessions. The remaining trainees were not able to use them consistently due to clinical service demands and 10% were not using any due to being unaware of opportunities available.

The majority of trainees were using special interest sessions for research, followed by postgraduate qualifications and psychotherapy. Other special interests included medical education, management experience and psychiatric liaison. 70% found their special interest sessions straightforward to arrange and supervisors were highlighted as a useful support.

Most trainees did not have a good awareness of special interest opportunities available within their specialty. 90% would like to be better informed of opportunities for special interest sessions.

The survey indicated that the majority of higher psychiatry trainees are having difficulty accessing special interest sessions due to clinical service demands and a lack of awareness of opportunities available. In order to meet Curriculum requirements, it is important that trainees are supported by supervisors and trusts to access special interest sessions. Specialty training job descriptions should allow for special interest time with appropriate cover arrangements. To improve awareness of special interest sessions, I have developed an information booklet listing opportunities available for higher psychiatry trainees in HEE Wessex Deanery.

Knowledge of illegal substances has long revolved around addictions in psychiatry training and not of party drugs or harm reduction. Reasons for this could include it being a fairly taboo subject, and it being an area where information and advice change frequently. However, drug related deaths are at their highest since records began, and as our patients use them, it is important that professionals are knowledgeable and can offer sound harm reduction advice. The aims were to establish whether there was a deficit in mental health professionals’ knowledge and understanding of party drugs and harm reduction, to give education on this subject, and to gain feedback on whether it is useful and/or important.

A questionnaire of 10 questions on party drugs and harm reduction was devised using resources from charities ‘The Loop’ and ‘Talking Drugs’. These questions aimed to test general knowledge in this area that would be expected from professionals. The study was carried out using Mental Health professionals (MDT) in a busy South London Trust in November 2019 and March 2020.The questionnaires were given before and after teaching sessions on the subject. Feedback was then collected from the attendees on their experiences.

Before the teaching sessions, professionals answered 44% of the questions correctly, 48% incorrectly, and 8% were ‘don't know’. However, after the sessions these scores went up to 77% correct, 19% incorrect, and 4% were ‘don't know’. Feedback was extremely positive, with an Addictions Consultant even commenting that she didn't know a lot of what was being taught! Professionals recognised the gap in their knowledge and were keen for more teaching.

Party drugs and harm reduction knowledge is lacking in Mental Health professionals despite it being commonly seen in our patients. Informed, tailored teaching sessions can help improve this and it seems most professionals would welcome it. In the future it may be useful to include this type of teaching as part of the official Psychiatry curriculum.

This training aimed to familiarise the trainee of the mental health tribunal process and its delivery in the virtual form, improve the trainee's ability to provide targeted and succinct evidence both in written and verbal form.

This project followed a PDSA cycle. We targeted core trainees in their 3rd year (CT3s) for this pilot for practical reasons, we've also asked one third year nursing student to participate. We have started with a pre-intervention survey to obtain knowledge and confidence levels with regard to tribunals and identify further training needs. We used one of the slots available on Thursday MRCPsych course schedule to conduct the pilot. We have identified several people who are willing to participate in the teaching process, including an inpatient unit consultant, a judge, an experienced panel psychiatrist.

We have obtained teaching material from the MHA office at the trust. On the day of the pilot, we prepared introductory material in the form of power point presentation about tribunals and how to write reports. We then introduced our virtual patient “Mike” whom we based the report writing workshop and MOCK tribunal on using theoretical nursing and doctor entries. The teaching was followed by post intervention qualitative feedback. Data of pre and post intervention were moved to an excel spreadsheet for further analysis. We will take the results from this pilot to inform the next cycle of the project.

Quantitative data: The training module was conducted over Zoom. Pre and post intervention surveys indicated an improvement in the trainees’ knowledge and confidence scores of 28–44% as described in figure 1.

Qualitative data: The trainees and facilitators provided very positive qualitative feedback. Themes mentioned were related to comprehensiveness of training material, confidence gained in providing evidence, range of information covered, on hand experience, experts presence, relevance for multidisciplinary training cohort. Areas of improvement included minor technical difficulties, suggestion of more time spent on nature and degree, and involving service user and lay person representatives.

The above analysis and feedback suggests a successful run of the first pilot. We will aim to increase representation and allow more time for the some of the key learning points like understanding the difference between nature and degree in relation to MHA. We will continue to liaise with the department of Medical Education at Severn Deanery and We will also run the project at a wider scale including more nursing students and trainees of different levels.