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Audit of case-load and case mix of higher specialist trainees in child and adolescent psychiatry

Adcote House, Columbia Road, Oxton, Birkenhead L43 6TU

Tim Morris, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

Burnley General Hospital, Lancashire

Declaration of interest

None.

See pp. 208-209 this issue.

AIMS AND METHOD

The aim of the audit was to ensure that the case-load and case mix for trainees in child and adolescent psychiatry met Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Advisory Committee guidelines and that trainees were seeing cases with an appropriate mix of age, gender and diagnoses. Data on case-load and case mix were analysed annually and problem areas were identified and reviewed when the audit cycle was repeated. The audit cycle has been repeated three times.

RESULTS

Specific findings from the audit included: female trainees were seeing a high percentage of girls; male trainees were seeing a high percentage of boys; some trainees were seeing a high proportion of cases of deliberate self-harm; and there was a recent increase in the number of cases of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The first two issues were rectified as a result of the audit process; the last is being monitored.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Training needs should come before service needs. Auditing trainees' case-loads and case mixes helped best to utilise the time available for clinical work during training.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Cottrell Commentary: audit of case-load and case mix of higher specialist trainees in child and adolescent psychiatry Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2002; 26(6): 208 - 209. [Full Text] [PDF]