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Logbook for specialist registrars in general adult psychiatry: development and peer evaluation

Sandwell OutreachTeam, 6-6A, Simpson Street, Oldbury B69 4AL, tel: 0121569 5704, e-mail: sanju.george{at}talk21.com

Mike Jorsh, Consultant in Liaison Psychiatry

Harplands Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent

Joe Johnson, Specialist Registrar in General Adult Psychiatry

Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool

Declaration of interest

M.J. is the programme director of the West Midlands specialist registrar training scheme.

AIMS AND METHOD

Despite the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ recommendation that higher specialist trainees in general adult psychiatry should use logbooks to record their training-related activities, none is currently available. We developed a logbook and conducted a postal survey of specialist registrars in general adult psychiatry in the West Midlands and Merseyside Training Schemes to elicit their perceptions of its usefulness and feasibility.

RESULTS

All of the 35 specialist registrars who completed the questionnaire felt that there was scope for a logbook and that this format was easy to use. Three-quarters of the respondents suggested that their training curriculum should be incorporated into the logbook and 71% felt that the use of logbooks ought to be mandatory. Despite all acknowledging the need for a logbook, only 14% were currently using one.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Logbooks would greatly help higher specialist trainees to organise (identify, record and review learning objectives) the multifaceted aspects of their training. They would also help immensely in preparing for the Record of In-Training Assessment, appraisal and revalidation. There is clearly scope for a more ‘centrally’ produced (College) logbook for specialist registrars in general adult psychiatry, as indicated by the results of this survey. For logbooks to work in practice, they need to be simple and easy to use.