First-generation antipsychotics: not gone but forgotten [Education & training]
Aims and method To identify training needs of the next generation of psychiatrists and barriers in prescribing first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs). We have surveyed psychiatry trainees in East Anglia with regard to their training experience, knowledge and attitudes to the use of oral FGAs as regular medication.
Results Two-thirds of trainees were aware that first- and second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have similar efficacy, and a similar proportion perceived the older drugs to have more or ‘stronger’ side-effects. Lack of training experience was noted as the second leading concern for prescribing FGAs....
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Dibben, C. R. M., Khandaker, G. M., Underwood, B. R., O'Loughlin, C., Keep, C., Mann, L., Jones, P. B. Tags: Education & amp; training Source Type: research
Ticking the boxes: a survey of workplace-based assessments [Education & training]
Aims and method To survey the quality of workplace-based assessments (WPBAs) through retrospective analysis of completed WPBA forms against training targets derived from the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Portfolio Online.
Results Almost a third of assessments analysed showed no divergence in assessment scores across the varied assessment domains and there was poor correlation between domain scores and the nature of comments provided by assessors. Of the assessments that suggested action points only half were considered to be sufficiently ‘specific’ and ‘achievable’ to be useful for trainees' learn...
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Gilberthorpe, T., Sarfo, M. D., Lawrence-Smith, G. Tags: Education & amp; training Source Type: research
Mandating doctors to attend counter-terrorism workshops is medically unethical [Current Practice]
This is a brief exploration of the ethical issues raised for psychiatrists, and for universities, schools and wider society, by the demand that they attend mandatory training as part of the UK government's Prevent counter-terrorism strategy. The silence on this matter to date on the part of the General Medical Council, medical Royal Colleges, and the British Medical Association is a failure of ethical leadership. There is also a civil liberties issue, reminiscent of the McCarthyism of 1950s USA. We should refuse to attend. (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Summerfield, D. Tags: Current Practice Source Type: research
The Prevent programme: an ethical dilemma for teachers as well as psychiatrists [Special articles]
This article discusses the risks that the strategy presents to the work of teachers and the bonds of trusts between staff and students. (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Reed, S. Tags: Special articles Source Type: research
Flash, the emperor and policies without evidence: counter-terrorism measures destined for failure and societally divisive [Special articles]
Governments around the world are uniting in trying to defeat terrorist movements. In this context, recent counter terrorism laws in the UK place public duties on all citizens to help prevent terrorism. Yet, the science of predicting rare events such as terrorist offending yields consistently poor results. There are ethical, clinical and scientific dilemmas facing the professions if we are to investigate social, religious and political belief systems in routine assessment in order to inform judgements about terrorist offending risk. A balanced and evidence-based approach is necessary. (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Bhui, K. Tags: Special articles Source Type: research
Faith, ethics and Section 63 of the Mental Health Act 1983 [Special articles]
This article analyses a unique court judgment involving a detained Jehovah's Witness patient who had made an advance decision refusing blood transfusions but who self-inflicted lacerations resulting in blood loss. Core issues within the case involved capacity to consent to treatment and the ethics of treating or not treating patients in such cases. (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Curtice, M., James, L. Tags: Special articles Source Type: research
Alcohol screening for older adults in an acute general hospital: FAST v. MAST-G assessments [Original papers]
Aims and method Documented prevalence of alcohol misuse among older adult patients at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital is significantly lower than the national prevalence. We aimed to evaluate our alcohol misuse screening protocol for older adults to identify possible shortcomings. Hospital protocol is to screen all adults for alcohol misuse in the accident and emergency (A&E) department using the Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST). One hundred consecutive consenting in-patients aged 65-94 admitted via A&E subsequently undertook an additional alcohol screening test (Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric versio...
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Knightly, R., Tadros, G., Sharma, J., Duffield, P., Carnall, E., Fisher, J., Salman, S. Tags: Original papers Source Type: research
Unexpected deaths of children and young people in the UK [Original papers]
Aims and method To review the deaths of children and young people who took their own life. We conducted a retrospective analysis of serious incident reports from a National Health Service trust and reviews by the child death overview panels of the local safeguarding children boards.
Results We identified 23 deaths, with annual rates varying considerably between local authorities and over time. Over half of the children (n = 13, 56%) were not known to specialist child and adolescent mental health services, with 11 having no contact with any agency at the time of their death. Hanging was the most common method (n = 20, 87%) ...
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Stallard, P., Maguire, M., Daddow, J., Shepperd, R., Foster, M., Berry, J. Tags: Original papers Source Type: research
Survey of psychiatric assessment rooms in UK emergency departments [Original papers]
Aims and method We aimed to estimate the proportion of UK emergency departments with a psychiatric assessment room and to determine whether such rooms met criteria for conducting high-risk assessments. Liaison psychiatry services were asked whether their hospital had such a room, whether it met the criteria and whether respondents judged it to be sufficiently safe and private.
Results Of the 60 emergency departments included in the survey, 23% had a psychiatric assessment room that met all the safety criteria and was judged to be safe and private. Barriers to the establishment of an appropriate facility included it being a...
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Bolton, J., Palmer, L., Cawdron, R. Tags: Original papers Source Type: research
Workplace assessment in crisis? The way forward [Editorials]
A recent Royal College of Physicians' study on assessment raises serious questions for workplace assessment. To address these, a system is recommended that bridges the gap from competence to performance and integrates supervised learning events (SLEs) that are formative in purpose with summative assessment of performance by entrustable professional activities (EPAs). (Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: O'Leary, D., Al-Taiar, H., Brown, N., Bajorek, T., Ghazirad, M., Shaddel, F. Tags: Editorials Source Type: research
Sampling in epidemiological research: issues, hazards and pitfalls [Editorials]
Surveys of people's opinions are fraught with difficulties. It is easier to obtain information from those who respond to text messages or to emails than to attempt to obtain a representative sample. Samples of the population that are selected non-randomly in this way are termed convenience samples as they are easy to recruit. This introduces a sampling bias. Such non-probability samples have merit in many situations, but an epidemiological enquiry is of little value unless a random sample is obtained. If a sufficient number of those selected actually complete a survey, the results are likely to be representative of the pop...
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - March 31, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tyrer, S., Heyman, B. Tags: Editorials Source Type: research
Understanding Curriculum: The Australian Context [Reviews]
(Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - February 1, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Lyons, Z. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
Lean Behavioral Health: The Kings County Hospital Story [Reviews]
(Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - February 1, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Cornick, S. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
Art as Healing [Reviews]
(Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - February 1, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Pitman, A. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
CBT for Mild to Moderate Depression and Anxiety: A Guide to Low-Intensity Interventions [Reviews]
(Source: Psychiatric Bulletin)
Source: Psychiatric Bulletin - February 1, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: O'Shea, C. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
