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Are psychiatrists real doctors?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Harpreet Pannu*
Affiliation:
Staff Grade Psychiatrist, Rampton Hospital, Retford DN22 0PD, e-mail: Harpreet.pannu@nottshc.nhs.uk
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Abstract

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Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 2005. The Royal College of Psychiatrists

The survey of psychiatric trainees in Scotland by Dr Robinson (Psychiatric Bulletin February 2005, 29, 62-64) showed that a significant amount of physical healthcare is being provided by psychiatric trainees.

In my experience, south of the border the situation is no different, particularly in psychiatric long-stay facilities such as rehabilitation units and forensic units where a large degree of physical morbidity exists. Cormac et al (2004) reported high rates of avoidable health risks such as smoking, obesity, central weight distribution and excessive weight gain.

The role of the trainee is to identify and manage problems for which they often may have received no formal training. After completion of pre-registration house jobs, direct entry to psychiatric training schemes is not uncommon. The notion of managing, for example, an individual's diabetes, hypertension or obesity may be quite alien never mind being able to recognise strange skin complaints and other problems commonly encountered in primary care.

I have experience and training in primary care which I have found invaluable in dealing with my patients’ physical health problems. The National Service Framework for Mental Health requires health promotion and appropriate access to and delivery of primary care for patients with mental disorders (Department of Health, 1999). It may be of value to consider the training needs of psychiatric trainees with regards to management of physical health problems.

References

Cormac, I., Ferriter, M., Benning, R., et al (2005) Physical health and health risk factors in a population of long-stay psychiatric patients. Psychiatric Bulletin, 29, 1820.Google Scholar
Department of Health (1999) National Service Framework for Mental Health: Modern Standards and Service Models. London: Department of Health Google Scholar
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