International Medical Graduate (IMG) doctors make up a significant proportion of the British medical workforce. In 2022, 26% of doctors in training graduated outside the UK. Psychiatry was one of the most frequently chosen specialties by IMGs. Doctors joining the NHS face several challenges such as differential attainment and discrimination. Increasing recognition of such issues led to the recent publication of a national guidance for IMG induction. In 2021, CNWL appointed an IMG lead to design and implement a comprehensive induction and ongoing support programme for all IMG doctors joining the trust. The first induction for new IMG core trainees consisted of six sessions and included a mixture of communication skills workshops and tutorials. It started in February 2021 and was delivered over four weeks. Since then, the programme has run twice a year with each intake of new core trainee doctors.

Nineteen CNWL IMG core trainees who participated in the induction programme between 2021 and 2023 were invited to complete an online survey. The data was collected between December 2023 and January 2024. It consisted of Likert scale ratings of the content of the programme, its relevance, and its impact on trainees’ confidence. The usefulness of each session was also measured. Trainees were encouraged to provide free-text comments with suggestions for improvements.

Sixteen out of nineteen trainees submitted responses. There was a consensus amongst all trainees that the induction covered essential topics. Fifteen out of sixteen participants felt more confident in their role after the sessions. The first communication skills workshop covering history taking and mental state examination was considered to be the most useful with twelve participants rating it as excellent. The workshop on managing conflict with simulation scenarios was ranked second most helpful. Tutorials on NHS structure and a training portfolio did not receive as high ratings. Areas for improvement highlighted in free-text answers were: adding more face-to-face sessions and discussions about on-call scenarios.

Transition into NHS can be a challenging experience for doctors at all stages of their careers. However, early intervention and a comprehensive induction programme appear to have had a positive impact on new trainee doctors’ confidence and preparedness for work. The programme's structure and the sessions content were modified in response to feedback. Additionally, individual support sessions and a writing group were organised for trainees and SAS doctors.

The GMC Trainer's survey 2022 identified nearly two in ten (18%) trainers do not agree that their employer provides a supportive environment for everyone regardless of background, beliefs, or identity. A striking 52% of doctors working as trainers are identified as being at moderate to high risk of burnout. Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust(SABP) has 63 active educational and clinical trainers.

We aim to enhance the overall experience of Educational and Clinical Trainers in SABP by gaining insights into their views and experiences and identifying key areas for improvement to support trainers in their roles, thereby contributing to a more resilient healthcare workforce.

We devised a 16 item questionnaire to gather anonymous data on trainers' experiences and views in their roles. Our study utilised an observational quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional design. Data capture was done on Microsoft Forms and analysed using Excel.

We had 70% response rate, 90% agreed or strongly agreed they had adequate support and training, 95% feel able to fulfil educational CPD for appraisal however only 83% were able to complete reflections on trainee feedback. 93% agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoy being a trainer but only 67% agreed or strongly agreed that they knew how to access support if they felt burnt out. Only 43% felt that they had adequate time in their schedule to provide supervision. Analysis of responses stratifying International medical graduates and years of experience being a trainer did not identify additional needs.

Effective trainers are fundamental in shaping future doctors. Our survey results highlighted that a high percentage of trainers enjoy their role. Based on the results, strategies were identified to improve support that can be implemented through trainers’ drop-in sessions, advertising trainers' training sessions with more notice and developing the resources on the intranet including improving content and adding videos of training sessions. We also identified that appraisal and revalidation requirements for trainers, trainee surveys needed to be better advertised to improve feedback rates. We recommended that a document on the online appraisal platform (SARD) be added to clarify the requirements for appraisal and revalidation, and how these can be met. We suggested that Associate Medical Directors consider the need to ringfence time for educational and clinical trainers in their job plans.

Navigating a Serious Incident (SI) investigation and participating in a Coroner's Court proceedings can pose challenges for psychiatry trainees. The Higher Training curriculum emphasizes active participation in activities that enhance patient safety and care quality. This project aims to enhance patient safety and trainee confidence by improving training on SI investigations and Coroners Court proceedings.

Using Quality Improvement (QI) methodology, in the first cycle an initial survey was distributed to all psychiatry trainees and middle grade doctors working in Kent and Medway (n = 67) to establish baseline knowledge and confidence levels in areas related to risk assessment & management, SI investigations and Coroner's Inquests.

In response to the identified need for training, we organized the Initial Training Event with support from Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Quality and Safety, Patient Safety Team and Medical Education Department. The half-day, in-person event was opened to all doctors and featured 5 sessions: Serious Incident Investigation Process, Thematic Review of Suicides, Systems Engineering and Human Factors in Patient Safety, Learning from Mortality and Structured Judgement Review along with ‘Being Involved in Investigation – An Investigator's Guide’. Data from a survey of attendees (n = 47) informed the development of a tailored training session for psychiatry Core and Higher Trainees.

The initial survey received 32 responses (response rate: 47.76%). 71.88% of respondents had little to no understanding of SI investigation processes. Remarkably, 87.5% expressed strong interest in receiving training on conducting SI investigations. 90.62% were extremely or very interested in receiving training on participating in a Coroner's Inquest.

47 doctors attended the Initial Training Event. 30 responded to the feedback questionnaire (47.76%). All doctors found the training useful, with over 90% rating it ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ useful. 97% felt that the training would improve their clinical practice in terms of patients’ safety. After the training, 60% understood the process of conducting an SI investigation a moderate amount; 33.33% understood the process a lot or to a great extent. Nevertheless 92.86% felt a need for additional training in SI investigations. 63.33% suggested making training available yearly, and 36.67% favoured making it mandatory training.

This project identified a significant need for training in SI investigations and Coroner's Court proceedings among psychiatric trainees. An Initial Training Event developed from the first QI cycle survey data received positive feedback. The next phase involves developing a tailored training program that addresses identified knowledge gaps. Further considerations include making this training a regular event.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists sets out ‘Education and Training’ as one of the High Level Outcomes (HLOs) in its GMC approved curriculum for higher speciality trainees in Psychiatry. The West Midlands (WM) School of Psychiatry runs a well-established 3-day Training the Trainer (TTT) course to support acquisition of teaching skills and key capabilities to help prepare trainees to become trainers as Consultants.

We aim to explore the views and attitudes held by WM Psychiatry higher trainees towards the current TTT course and other teaching opportunities available across the region.

An anonymous online scoping survey was sent to all WM Psychiatry higher trainees, via Microsoft Forms, in January 2023. This comprehensive survey included questions on the trainees’ awareness of the TTT course and available teaching opportunities, as well as support and barriers in accessing these. We designed dichotomous, rating and free text questions to generate both quantitative and qualitative data.

Key findings of the survey included:

• • 27 out of 40 trainees responded. All subspecialty training programmes were represented.

• • Many trainees were aware of the WM TTT course (81%). No trainees had accessed private TTT courses.

• • Most trainees felt the current available opportunities allowed them to meet the curriculum requirements (82%) and felt their supervisor could provide support in gaining teaching experiences (93%).

• • Only two-thirds of trainees felt the current opportunities prepared them to be an effective Consultant trainer (67%). Some were also uncertain of teaching opportunities available in the deanery (41%).

• • Trainees expressed a preference of learning through small group tutorials, interactive workshops and experiential learning.

• • Trainees requested incorporating content around innovative technology in medical education including artificial intelligence and simulation as well as formal qualifications in medical education.

The project has shown that the current TTT course is effective in supporting Psychiatry higher trainees meet their curriculum requirements, however there is a scope to adjust the content to meet their changing needs and align with digital advancements in medical education. We suggest the course should be delivered in a more interactive and engaging manner for example using breakout rooms and workshops. To ensure all trainees are aware of the course and teaching opportunities available, an information leaflet outlining the TTT course will be sent out as part of the induction process. It is hoped that with these improvements, the needs of Psychiatry higher trainees will be better met as they move forwards in their careers and become Consultant trainers.

This project aimed to create and deliver a simulation-based course to improve trainees’ knowledge, practical skills and confidence as well as leadership and multidisciplinary-team working. We evaluated the effectiveness of this training and simulation as a learning experience. Simulation in psychiatry is a relatively new field compared with other specialities. Literature shows that experiential learning in psychiatry is effective for developing clinical and communication skills for doctors, and confidence in leadership. It is vital we work towards the National Health Service Long Term Plan for improving mental health care for those with serious mental illness which includes better training for doctors. This course was designed to enhance the ELFT training programme focusing on applications of theoretical knowledge.

A simulation-based course was delivered to core trainees and general practitioner trainees at induction to psychiatry. This was based on the Royal College of Psychiatrists curriculum and input from our People Participation team to ensure authenticity of scenarios. We surveyed trainees to inform the development of our pilot in February 2022 and subsequently developed two half-day courses facilitated in August 2022 following feedback. The scenarios we created were: risk assessment, section 5(2) Mental Health Act (MHA) assessment, managing agitation and violence, escalating concerns to a senior, section 136 MHA assessment, seclusion review, discussion with medical registrar for physical health concerns, collateral history and information-giving in child psychiatry. We used a structured debrief model (what went well, what could you have done differently, what was the ‘golden moment'?) and provided relevant teaching. Service users joined the debrief to share their perspectives and lived experiences. We collected and analysed quantitative and qualitative feedback.

Ten trainees attended the pilot course, followed by eleven on day 1 and nine on day 2 in August 2022. Results from questionnaires revealed post-course, 100% of participants felt more confident in their psychiatric skills and found this experience to be valuable for clinical practice. 100% would recommend this simulation to others. Qualitative data showed participants thought scenarios were realistic, the environment was supportive and feedback was comprehensive. They also appreciated the service user involvement.

Trainees reported simulation provided a safe and engaging environment to learn practical skills which better prepared them for work. This course is now embedded into the ELFT induction programme and enables doctors to develop their confidence and have a better understanding of service user perspectives. Future development of this course will involve allied health professionals.

Mental and physical ill-health are both causes and consequences of homelessness. As the cost-of-living crisis forces more people out of their homes, it is imperative that medical students are informed and prepared for this health crisis. Discussions with or about homeless populations are largely absent from the current medical school experience, and are rarely accompanied by homelessness-specific on-the-ground exposure. This project aims to use contemporary literature and the personal experience of a UK medical student to formulate suggestions on how the curriculum can better address homeless health.

A literature search was performed, including recent work on medical education, inclusion health, and homelessness. Reflection on the author's personal experience at medical school was conducted and compared with existing literature to ascertain validity.

Whilst many students will walk past rough-sleepers on their way into university/hospital, homelessness is a seldom-addressed topic at medical school. In the author's personal experience, there can be a cognitive disconnect between the theoretical principles (e.g. social determinants of health, inclusion health) covered in lectures, and the on-the-ground realities of the isolation, discrimination, and violence that homeless populations face. Since medical students disproportionately come from privileged socioeconomic backgrounds, this disconnect may be due to a lack of exposure underpinned by the assumption that homelessness will never directly affect them.

A review of literature highlighted several worldwide initiatives aiming to develop medical students’ understanding of homelessness. Programmes involved students in health screening, education programmes, and street psychiatry placements. These have been shown to reduce bias and improve student preparedness.

Based on the overlap between literature and the author's own experiences, three focuses for curriculum improvement are proposed: supported exposure, compulsory education, and advocacy. Supported exposure would involve students having formal face-to-face contact with homeless populations, supported by supervision and debriefing. To prepare for these interactions and their potential challenges, students should receive trauma-informed training alongside teaching on inclusion health and social determinants of health. This should be emphasised by medical schools as mandatory, rather than a ‘special-interest’ topic that many students will not engage with. Finally, students should be encouraged to advocate for vulnerable patients both within the clinic, and on a broader systemic level.

This project stresses the urgent need for addressing homelessness within medical education. The proposed focuses aim to cultivate a deeper understanding among medical students about the health challenges faced by homeless populations, fostering empathy and competence in future healthcare professionals.

Background. The importance of the social determinants of health (SDOH) is increasingly recognised. However, medical students are taught about them as epidemiological facts. We established a programme in North Wales involving prison placements for medical students, accompanied by specific teaching to contextualise SDOH to individual patients’ mental health problems. This is being evaluated over a four-year follow-up. We report findings of qualitative evaluation of the second-year cohort.

Individual interviews with students and free text data from questionnaires were analysed thematically.

Previous teaching about SDOH:

• • “You do not understand until you see it in your own life. Lectures do not always deliver a point.”

• • “Mentioned but not very explicit session like here.”

Baseline knowledge and attitudes to SDOH

• • “I knew mental health and social determinants are a lot intertwined, but I would not have thought of it in such depth before coming here.”

• • “I knew what SDOH were, but I have not seen it on this scale.”

• • “Some students related the teaching to their personal experience of hardship.”

Prison placement

Impact of the placements

SDOH incorporation into medical education

In previous publications, we reported positive responses to prison placements. By integrating a module about SDOH, students can develop a broader understanding of health and gain the awareness needed to address these factors in clinical practice.

The link between domestic violence and poor mental health outcomes is well-established, with victims often experiencing anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aims to evaluate the current state of Domestic Violence (DV) screening training within the medical curriculum at King's College London, focusing on trauma-informed and culturally competent approaches. The objective is to identify gaps and propose recommendations for a comprehensive and inclusive training program.

Approved by the King's College London Research Ethics Office, this qualitative study was conducted using an online questionnaire that adopted a 5-point Likert-type scale. The study was conducted among KCL Medical Students (n = 25) to gather opinions on DV screening training, and the responses underwent thematic analysis.

The survey indicated that 92% of participants had not received formal training on DV screening. In addition, 88% lacked guidance on responding to disclosures in a trauma-informed manner and only 8% believed they had training on responding to DV within diverse cultural contexts. The key themes were ‘Addressing Training Gaps and Challenges’, ‘Practical Skills Enhancement’, ‘Cultural Competency and Diversity' and ‘Comprehensive Understanding of Domestic Violence and Abuse’. Students expressed concerns about the lack of clear, direct education on escalating domestic violence cases. Furthermore, some medical students expressed apprehension about inadvertently re-traumatising or offending patients with a different cultural background.

The study highlights deficiencies in the current domestic violence screening training, emphasizing the urgent need for a more comprehensive, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive curriculum. Recommendations include the incorporation of domestic violence education within the core curriculum and interprofessional education, survivor engagement, and challenging biases through adopting a critical pedagogy approach. These changes aim to enhance the understanding, attitudes, and practical skills of medical students in addressing domestic violence, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and responsive medical education system.

The primary objective of this project was to gather information from psychiatric trainees across the UK regarding paediatric liaison psychiatry training. It was envisioned that a national survey would yield important information regarding trainee awareness of this sub-specialty, and their training experiences.

The secondary objective of this project was to build an online resource, that could practically address unmet training needs in this area.

A national survey was undertaken between 29th November 2021 and 17th January 2022, with trainees from RCPsych Liaison Psychiatry, and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry faculties, invited to participate.

Following this survey, the predominant themes in trainee feedback informed the design of an online resource for psychiatry trainees interested in paediatric liaison psychiatry.

Overall, 40 trainees across the UK completed the survey, detailing their views and experiences of paediatric liaison psychiatry training.

While 65% of trainees were aware of paediatric liaison psychiatry as a field, only 37.5% had exposure to the specialty. Approximately 48% of respondents were in training programs that included paediatric liaison psychiatry placements.

Common challenges in accessing paediatric liaison training included; lack of qualified trainers, limited paediatric liaison psychiatry services locally, and competing training commitments. Trainees highlighted the need for a wider network to raise awareness of this sub-specialty, and advertise formal clinical/ research opportunities.

Following this survey, an online resource was constructed with input from the wider Paediatric Liaison Network (PLN) membership, including the following features –

• • Clinical opportunities – Paediatric liaison psychiatry department contacts for trainees to access training opportunities.

• • Research & Education – Resources useful for trainees interested in paediatric liaison psychiatry.

• • Careers – Articles on different career pathways in paediatric liaison psychiatry.

Trainees predominantly reported systemic issues with accessing experience in paediatric liaison psychiatry, especially regarding training program structure and local clinical systems. It is likely that time, and the involvement of health and training providers, is required to address these issues.

However, it is hoped that building this digitally accessible initiative is a step forward in raising awareness, and supporting trainees in building positive experiences within paediatric liaison psychiatry.

Many thanks to all the psychiatry trainees, and members of the Paediatric Liaison Network, who supported this digital project with their feedback. For further details on this initiative, please visit – https://sites.google.com/view/plntrainees/pln-home.

The Psychiatry Bootcamp at a psychiatric hospital was developed to address the unique and diverse challenges faced by new trainees, including Foundation Year Doctors, General Practitioner Specialty Trainees, Core Psychiatry trainees and Broad-Based Trainees, during their rotations in psychiatry in the Highlands, Scotland. The aim was to enhance their core skills and confidence levels, ensuring they are well-prepared for their first on-call shift. This initiative seeks to complement the existing induction program, specifically targeting areas of acute medical and psychiatric emergencies and care, that are critical for on-call duties.

Since its launch in 2022, the Psychiatry Bootcamp has been conducted quarterly, aligning with new doctor rotations. Held at the Medical Education Centre/Psychiatry Hospital, this one-day intensive training accommodates an average of 10 participants per session. The program, delivered by consultants, specialist nurses, and senior trainees, comprises tutorials, practical skills sessions, and simulated scenarios, focusing on key areas like the Mental Health Act, psychiatric risk assessment, wound management, resuscitation guidelines, and rapid tranquilisation.

A pre-test is administered to gauge participants' baseline knowledge and skills. Feedback is also collected immediately after the session and 3–4 months later. This ongoing feedback, systematically gathered since 2022, has been pivotal in continuously refining the curriculum and teaching methods, ensuring they remain up-to-date and effective.

The bootcamp demonstrated notable success in enhancing the preparedness of new psychiatry trainees for on-call duties. Post-course evaluations revealed an improvement in participants' confidence levels when managing psychiatric emergencies and various on-call situations. Through the practical and interactive nature of the training, trainees reported a deeper understanding of acute psychiatric care and an increased ability to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life scenarios. The hands-on experience with simulated scenarios was particularly effective in bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice. Trainees expressed greater comfort in handling challenging situations, such as rapid tranquilisation and emergency detention under the Mental Health Act, which were previously areas of concern.

The Psychiatry Bootcamp represents a targeted and effective approach to preparing new psychiatry trainees for the demands of on-call duties. By focusing on key areas of need and employing a variety of teaching methods tailored to enhance practical skills and confidence, the bootcamp successfully addresses the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical application. Preliminary feedback underscores the value of such programs in psychiatric education, suggesting that this model could be beneficial for similar settings seeking to improve trainee preparedness and overall patient care quality.

Simulation-based education (SBE) is widespread in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, but less frequently in psychiatry. Despite this, the relatively small evidence base suggests high levels of participant satisfaction and educational benefit from SBE in psychiatry. Bringing SBE into the virtual environment presents another set of challenges we identified both through current medical education research and through our own experience. Our poster will demonstrate our current model of virtual simulation, the evidence base we used to develop this, and the feedback we have had from this new venture.

Background – As part of our undergraduate CAMHS teaching, where students spend 1 week within our service as part of a 3-week psychiatry clinical placement, we provide a single session of CAMHS SBE. This is delivered by 2 facilitators and a professional medical actor providing the role of the adolescent patient. Our virtual simulation teaching session has now been integrated into our teaching program. We have developed this session in line with current medical education research, and have presented this at the Annual Medical Education Conference and integrated feedback on our session into the current model.

We have successfully adapted this session to be delivered remotely, and have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our students, citing improvements in their confidence and learning after our session. Along with the challenges to engagement, participation, and patient involvement of remote teaching, we further adapted our session to accommodate increased numbers of students attending – a national trend. However, from current research and our experience, there are also benefits to both educators and students from virtual SBE.

Our results show that simulation can be used effectively in psychiatry through virtual media to expand student clinical experience and provide excellent educational opportunities. We present our model for virtual SBE and the evidence base we have used to develop this session, along with the feedback we have had from students, staff, and teams across the country.

To develop and evaluate a tailored teaching session for local non-medical primary care staff on common CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) conditions. It was hypothesised that quizzes administered before and after the educational session would evidence an improvement in clinician's knowledge of these clinical presentations.

Invitations were extended to all local PCNs to attend educational sessions held on four separate occasions in December 2022 and January 2023. Multiple choice quizzes were administered before and after a presentation on four common CAMHS conditions. The presentation and quizzes covered the presentation, diagnosis, and management of autism, eating disorders, depression and emotional dysregulation. Quizzes were scored out of a maximum 16 points with four questions per clinical condition. A paired T-test (following tests for normal variance) was performed using JASP software to compare the before and after scores.

A total of 22 non-medical clinical staff attended the sessions. This included physician associates (n = 1), allied health professionals (n = 5), practice nurse (n = 3), care coordinator (n = 3), health care assistant (n = 4), social prescriber (n = 1), mental health practitioner (n = 3), advanced clinical practitioner (n = 1) and advanced nurse practitioner (n = 1). For the 22 pairs of quizzes, mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated between before-and-after scores. The mean difference between total score was 6.9 CI [6.1, 7.7] which was statistically significant (p < 0.001).

More than 31,000 additional staff have been recruited into healthcare roles at general practices across the country since 2019 to meet soaring demand for primary care services. Since the pandemic record numbers of children and adolescents are presenting with mental health difficulties, therefore, it is likely that primary care clinicians will encounter these presentations in their practice. Our results suggest that such a tailored approach can offer effective means in improving knowledge in this growing group of professionals. Such sessions may also provide informal spaces in which to network with secondary mental health professionals, improving links between services.

Neuropsychiatry is a new and burgeoning field of medicine that combines neuroscientific principles with neurology and psychiatric medicine. Currently, there is little to none medical school literature and/or teaching in the subject. Re-integration of Neurology and Psychiatry disciplines has been recommended, especially in undergraduate and graduate medical training as well as in research. Neuropsychiatry disorders are considered one of the most important causes of disability by the World Health Organization. As a concept, Neuropsychiatry is still not clear on a global scale, from neurological examination to medical school teaching. There have already been active efforts to design and implement Neuropsychiatry training to post-graduate trainees worldwide, particularly in USA, Australia and UK. However, there seems to be no such endeavours towards teaching medical students the role of the brain in the manifestation of neurological as well as psychiatry symptoms. We set out to complete a targeted literature review looking for Neuropsychiatry teaching, if any, in medical schools worldwide.

A systematic literature search of relevant key phrases was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar databases. These phrases were searched between 29–31 January 2024 aimed to encompass the full scope of available teaching resources and materials across psychiatry and neurosciences worldwide. These searches included:

1. (((Neuropsychiatry) AND (Medical students)) AND (Medical school)) AND (Medical education)

2. (((Neuropsychiatry education) AND (training)) AND (medical students)) AND (Medical education)

3. (Neuroscience-in-psychiatry) AND (medical school)

4. ((Neuropsychiatry) AND (Medical education)) AND (Medical students)

5. Further reading was completed from the selected articles (six in total).

A total of 324 results were found from systematic literature search after leaving out the duplicates, of which only 6 articles were included as relevant to aim of our study. None of the articles described clear Neuropsychiatry teaching to the medical students.

Our review highlighted a distinct lack of Neuropsychiatry learning outcomes within medical school curriculum. Neuroscientific principles and methodologies are incorporated in treatment of patients, rationalising clear differentiation between neurology or psychiatry, but the overall picture from both disciplines and utilisation towards diagnosing and managing the cluster of symptoms manifesting from aberrant brain processes is still unclear. In line with previous research around education measurement, we propose that fundamentals from both Neurology and Psychiatry need to be introduced as clinical neuroscience early in medical school and this can be further continued.

The importance of the humanities has been highlighted in developing a holistic person-centred model of psychiatry. The use of film to explore topics related to psychiatry, known as ‘cinemeducation’, has been shown to encourage reflection. Wellbeing has been identified as a key area in the quality of psychiatry training, however there is currently no evidence exploring the wellbeing and educational benefits of ‘cinemeducation’ within psychaitry training programmes

Our primary aim was to measure the impact of ‘cinemeducation’ events on attendees’ wellbeing and professional development, with a secondary aim to explore attendees experience of ‘cinemeduation’.

The hypothesis is that attendees will experience a wellbeing and educational benefit from the initiative.

6 events were assessed between January and August 2023. Each event involved the showing of a feature length film, followed by a 30-minute discussion. 4 out of 6 events were facilitated by guest speakers, usually a consultant psychiatrist. Following events, questionnaires were distributed which included a series of statements with Likert scales and open ended questions. Mean Likert scale scores were calculated with qualitative data interpreted by the authors using thematic analysis.

A total of 108 trainees attended events, predominantly core trainees (64.52%). All events scored consistently high for self-reported wellbeing, however facilitated events demonstrated higher scores for self-reported reflective and educational benefits. The themes derived from qualitative data were of ‘cinemeducation’ being a novel educational opportunity where attendees were able to use film to work through challenges associated with psychiatry, as well as being an opportunity for connecting with other trainees, where attendees could share experiences and foster a sense of community.

Core psychiatry trainees in particular, appear to value ‘cinemeducation’ as a tool to connect with their peers and develop their understanding of psychiatry in a relaxed, but stimulating environment, which is best achieved under the guidance of a senior colleague. The study suggests that the introduction of ‘cinemeducation’ across psychiatry training programmes would benefit trainees’ wellbeing and development. Further research is required to assess the impact of such initiatives across a broader cohort of trainees, using more robust methods of data collection, as well as formal measures of skills such as reflective functioning.

In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition of the importance of leadership skills to doctors. However, these skills are not usually formally taught or assessed. This study aims to evaluate the impact of using coaching as a novel technique to support Psychiatry trainees in developing leadership skills.

This poster summarises a primary research study which evaluated an educational intervention using a mixed-method approach.

All Higher Psychiatry Trainees at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trusts were given an opportunity to enrol on the Coaching for Consultant Psychiatrist Leadership Pilot Programme. Those who enrolled (coachees) were offered five 90-minute one-to-one sessions with Psychiatry consultants (coaches) who received training in Coaching for Leadership. Coachees completed a self-assessment questionnaire examining their views on their own leadership skills before and after completing the programme. Questions used were adopted from the High-Performance People Skills questionnaire (HPPS) – a tool used to collect 360° feedback as part of leadership training. Coachees and coaches also attended separate focus groups to discuss their subjective experiences of receiving and providing coaching. Thematic analysis was carried out.

Eight coaches and seven coachees participated in the study. Most HPPS self-assessment scores post-intervention have increased after completion of the course. Overall coachees' satisfaction with their leadership skills increased from 3.4/5.0 to 4.0/5.0 after completing the programme.

Focus groups yielded rich qualitative data. The themes identified were: a broad range of reasons for Trainees and Consultants to join the programme, positive impact on coaches’ coaching skills, positive impact on coachees’ leadership skills and ideas on how to improve the programme to inform future curriculum design or improve implementation of any educational interventions.

Psychiatry Trainees’ self-perception of leadership skills can improve after receiving coaching. They find coaching helpful due to its individualised nature and the fact that it promotes the application of skills in real-life settings. Coaches also benefit by gaining new skills in coaching and leadership. Coachees and coaches share similar motivations for joining, including the desire to learn new skills, support others and be supported. More research is needed to evaluate the practical aspects of delivering coaching for leadership programmes as part of speciality training, but its potential is promising.

Our mental health placement has a longitudinal design and students spend one day per week in psychiatry throughout their academic year, attending clinical placement and academic days on alternate weeks. Academic days include a small group tutorial, Balint group and self-directed learning, during which students are expected to complete a ‘virtual patient’ (VP) e-learning module. VPs align with the topic of their small group tutorial and are intended to facilitate their learning. Despite this, only a minority of students complete them. Our aim is to investigate and iteratively design interventions to improve uptake of learning.

Using an iterative process, we explored potential reasons for low student uptake by reviewing routine feedback from faculty and students; most tutors and students were unaware of the e-learning. We hypothesised that increased faculty awareness and promotion of VP could lead to an increase in student access numbers. The intervention was therefore of improved communication amongst faculty by fortnightly newsletter emails which include the topic of the academic day, explanation around what is expected of students with the website link to the VP, and other useful resources tutors may wish to use. Emails are sent by medical education administrators in the week before the academic day to all tutors. Access logs for the previous (2022–2023) and current (2023–2024) academic year were obtained so comparison could be made pre- and post-intervention.

Results are available for 4 modules; thus far we are yet to see significant differences in engagement. There was a technical glitch for one module and for the other modules the difference in student access has been minimal (<5%). We also have qualitative feedback from 5/28 tutors. One was confused and thought they were being asked to do additional work, one requested for information about the VP without realising it was included in the newsletter email, and three said they found it helpful.

Fortnightly email newsletters is a simple and cost-effective way to possibly improve communication within faculty. It is likely difficult to promote student engagement with activities that their tutor is unaware of or perceives as invaluable. However there remain real challenges of using email as a communication tool for busy clinicians and is unlikely to make a difference as a stand-alone intervention. For future development we plan to include medical students and clinical supervisors as recipients in the mailing-list and spend time on a faculty development day to further explore this issue.

The 2024 National Student Psychiatry Conference, hosted at the University of Sheffield with the theme 'Me, Myself and I,' explored the intersection of the ‘self' and the ‘other.' It delved into the dynamics of individuals in the context of their lived experiences, environment, and emerging paradigms within psychiatry and beyond. Talks and workshops aimed to heighten attendees’ interest in psychiatry by challenging societal stigma and traditional norms and expanding their perspectives of psychiatry.

The pre-conference questionnaire included attendees’ year of study, university/NHS trust affiliation, current likelihood of pursuing psychiatry and career aspirations, knowledge of conference themes, and ten subspecialties represented at the conference via a faculty carousel. The post-conference questionnaire enquired about changes to the above aforementioned factors, to explore changes in career aspirations. Standardized dropdown options were used in both forms to facilitate data evaluation.

71 attendees were included in the final evaluation; 17 were excluded due to duplication or not completing both forms. Of the attendees, 31% were in their pre-clinical years, 56% were in their clinical years, and 4% were doctors. 9% of the participants were non-medical attendees.

Demographics of attendees included a majority from Yorkshire and Humber (52%), Midlands (11%), South England (6%), North England (10%), North East (8%) and Others (13%).

21% of attendees had been to a prior psychiatry-related conference and 34% were currently taking part in or had completed a psychiatry-related project in the past.

The level of interest in attendees aspiring to pursue psychiatry increased from 62% to 72%. An increased interest in medical psychotherapy (82%), forensic psychiatry (68%), and perinatal psychiatry (67%) after the faculty carousel was observed.

Following the conference, 97% reported increased knowledge of each theme. Findings from the faculty carousel revealed that, on average, over 90% of attendees reported an increased understanding of each speciality represented.

The National Student Psychiatry Conference plays a significant role in increasing exposure of psychiatry to medical students and increasing their understanding of the diverse career paths within the speciality. The conference fosters networking opportunities and facilitates meaningful connections within the field, positively influencing attendees' considerations and perceptions.

RAMPPS (Recognising and assessing medical problems in Psychiatric settings) training was set up over a decade ago by the then Health Education Yorkshire and Humber Task Group of Clinical skills project workers. Main aim was to address the Physical health agenda in mental health. It was felt that the clinical and support staff in psychiatric settings lacked confidence in recognising and managing physical health issues early on, possibly due to inadequate training in this area. RAMPPS course was designed to address this gap. The course is set up as a face to face multidisciplinary, interprofessional simulation based training with simulated actors, mannequins and other hybrid teaching models .Like any such training, there is a constant need for resources, mannequins, simulated actors, space and funding which could limit the extensive use of this training. We adapted this face to face teaching model for virtual audience to deliver an interprofessional interactive adaptable teaching module using realistic scenarios.

We adapted some of the scenarios from the RAMPPS module which suited the virtual audience and incorporated into Power point presentation and using an interactive teaching software called Slido we developed Virtual RAAMPPS.

Conducted a few trial sessions within the team and later produced a sample scenario and presented to the medical education team at the trust. The main teaching is the interactive discussion whilst going through the scenarios allowing an impact as close to a face to face teaching as possible.

Next is to do a PILOT Virtual RAMPPS morning session delivered to a group of trainees (psychiatry and foundation trainees) and gather detailed feedback and continue to deliver the pilot teaching a few more times at other avenues and continuously modify the teaching based on the feedback.

Collecting Qualitative feedback from PILOT conducted.

The aim is not to replace simulation based face to face training, but to provide a near enough realistic virtual experience of real life scenarios and to think through them in a systematic and structured way thus enabling better management of some of the physical health dilemmas faced in our psychiatric settings.

It provides the multidisciplinary staff a functional working knowledge of common physical health conditions and its complications encountered in psychiatric setting. The teaching can be modified based on the audience by changing the scenarios relevant to that area of clinical practise or of the patient group.

Allowing anonymity in responses provides a non-judgemental and safe place to make mistakes and eventually improving patient safety and staff experience within Psychiatry.

Competence in delivering psychotherapy is a mandatory part of the core trainee (CT) curriculum, as mandated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. CTs who are confident in delivering psychotherapy may provide more meaningful benefit for patients receiving therapy. Simulation is a well-established educational modality but is not widely utilised to teach psychotherapeutic competencies. We aimed to ascertain the views of current CT doctors regarding the use of simulation in psychotherapy training. A greater insight into learning needs would guide development of novel simulated psychotherapy educational resources. This was deemed a priority area for Simulation Based Education in the North West School of Psychiatry.

Primary data were collected from a virtual focus group of CTs (n = 3) from the North West School of Psychiatry, UK. All CTs in the region were invited to take part, participation was voluntary and informed consent was obtained prior to participation. The focus group was transcribed, analysed and data anonymised to ensure confidentiality.

Participants expressed concerns about embarking on their first psychotherapy case with subthemes relating to: insufficient experience and training in psychotherapy prior to starting a case, the ability to provide an effective intervention for patients and progression through core training. Ideas for how simulated learning may help trainees develop skill in psychotherapy centred around: introductory teaching (with opportunities to watch recordings of simulated patient encounters, examples of psychotherapeutic techniques used as well as using simulation to experience psychotherapeutic supervision) and having opportunities to actively participate in, and observe, individual or group role plays. Engagement with professional actors and psychotherapy faculty during role plays was identified as a priority. Finally, the notion of an introductory Psychotherapy Simulation “one day workshop” was proposed.

There are many ways in which psychiatry CTs' anxieties regarding psychotherapy may be addressed. They may feel better prepared to embark on undertaking therapy clients by engaging in simulated learning opportunities: whether this be actively taking part in role plays and simulations or accessing pre-recorded content of pedagogical simulations outlining underpinning psychotherapeutic theory. The findings from the focus group will be used to inform development of a novel Psychotherapy simulation resource. This will aim to improve the quality of Psychotherapy training in the North West and foster trainees’ confidence in conducting therapy sessions. Psychotherapy faculty will also be interviewed in a subsequent Focus group. Co-production of resources with stakeholders could maximize acceptability and help to maintain ongoing engagement with the project.

To make a case for E-prescribing within the Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Team in Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

To trial a different way of approaching 6 monthly reviews within the ADHD clinic (option for remote reviews).

To show how we could reduce the carbon footprint of the ADHD clinic.

Process mapping was completed to consider areas in the ADHD prescribing process that could be made more sustainable.

For each patient appointment in the ADHD clinic a questionnaire was completed. The data collection period was over 3 weeks during August and September 2023. Data was collected and interpreted.

99 appointments were offered, 82 appointments attended. 77 appointments were face-to-face and 22 were via telephone. Of the face-to-face appointments, 54 families travelled in by car and 4 used public transport (2 taxis). Of those who commented 31 people found it hard to find parking by the clinic, 13 people did not.

Of the appointments attended face to face via car/taxi (57):

• • Average of 4.4 miles travel to the clinic (8.8 miles total journey)

• • Shortest journey 1.1 miles (2.2 miles total journey)

• • Longest journey 16 miles (32 miles total journey)

• • Total patient mileage for these appointments (assuming travel to and from clinic) 855.8 miles

• • Average journey 0.005t CO2

• • Total journeys 0.472t CO2

• • Assuming average sized petrol car used

• • Extrapolating this data for a whole year approximately: 8.024t CO2 from patient journeys to and from the ADHD clinic

We have made a case for e-prescribing within the ADHD clinic in Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

The current system impacts on:

• • Patient and carer's travel time and convenience.

• • Clinician's travel time.

• • Carbon emissions.