Setting

This audit is relevant to all trainee psychiatrists and their trainers. It should be combined with training on the audit cycle.

Background

All doctors ‘must take part in regular and systematic audit’ (General Medical Council, 2006). Depending on where trainees are in their training, their knowledge, ability and motivation to partake in audit may vary. Demonstration of the understanding and principles of audit is one of the essential competencies that are required of an ST2 level trainee (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009). This audit allows a training scheme or trust to establish what proportion of its trainees are partaking in audit currently or recently, any reasons for not doing audit and the support that they have received from their trainers.

Standards

The four main audit standards for this audit were taken from the document Specialist Training in Psychiatry (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009):

1. ▸ Trainees should undertake an audit in every placement.

2. ▸ Trainees should endeavour to complete the audit cycle.

3. ▸ Trainers should advise trainees about suitable audit projects or direct them to a nominated audit lead.

4. ▸ Trainers should assist trainees in implementing changes suggested by audits.

Method

Data collection

Questionnaires were sent to all relevant psychiatric trainees either by post (with a return envelope) or by email. The following questions were asked:

1. 1 Are you currently involved in audit activity?

2. 2 If not currently, when were you last involved?

3. 3 If not, why are you currently not involved in audit?

4. 4 Have you ever completed the audit cycle?

5. 5 If not, why has this not occurred?

6. 6 Has your current trainer advised you on suitable audit projects or directed you to a nominated audit lead?

7. 7 If you have previously completed an audit, did your trainer assist you in implementing changes suggested by your audit?

Data analysis

The replies for questions 1, 4, 6 and 7 were taken to represent the standards. This allowed a calculation of the compliance with the standard.