The Psychiatrist (2006) 30: 220-222. doi: 10.1192/pb.30.6.220
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Woodall, A. A.
Right arrow Articles by Menkes, D. B.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Woodall, A. A.
Right arrow Articles by Menkes, D. B.
Psychiatric Bulletin (2006) 30: 220-222
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Emergency psychiatric assessments: implications for senior house officer training

Alan A. Woodall, Specialist Registrar in Primary Care Trust

Public Health Medicine, Telford and Wrekin, PCT

Seren Roberts, Research Fellow

Psychological Medicine, WMI Academic Unit, Wrexham LL13 7YP, e-mail: seren.roberts{at}new-tr.wales.nhs.uk

Gary P. Slegg, Research Fellow and David B. Menkes, Professor of Psychological Medicine

North Wales Section of Psychological Medicine, Wrexham

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

In order to examine the opportunities for senior house officers (SHOs) to undertake emergency psychiatric assessments we conducted a retrospective cohort study of such assessments in a district general hospital.

RESULTS

Senior house officers conducted few assessments for self-harm compared with psychiatric liaison nurses (P<0.001), and were involved in only 40% of emergency referrals where psychiatric opinion was requested. Senior house officers continue to undertake more assessments out of hours than any other group (P<0.01).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Although the introduction of psychiatric liaison nurses has improved capacity and reduced waiting times for emergency assessment, the opportunity for SHOs to undertake emergency assessments has been reduced, particularly with regard to assessment of suicidal risk following self-harm. These results suggest the need for better monitoring of SHO experience, particularly in the light of service developments that have an impact on psychiatric training.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 The PsychiatristHome page
R. Zafar and K. T. Sadiq
Deskilling of junior doctors
The Psychiatrist, December 1, 2007; 31(12): 467 - 467.
[Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

response
prathibha rao
The Psychiatrist Online, 14 Jul 2006 [Full text]
Changes due to EWTD and MMC.
Yasir Abbasi, et al.
The Psychiatrist Online, 14 Jul 2006 [Full text]