Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T05:02:07.870Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Junior doctors' experience and knowledge of procedures in compulsory psychiatric admissions in Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Geraldine Swift ,
M Nasir ,
John D Sheehan  and
Patricia R Casey
Geraldine Swift
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Rawnsley Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, (Department of Adult Psychiatry, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland)
M Nasir
Affiliation:
St Brendan's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Patricia R Casey
Affiliation:
Department of Adult Psychiatry, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: Prompted by the current debate in Ireland regarding involuntary detention, we undertook a survey of psychiatric trainees to examine their level of knowledge of the legislation governing such admissions.

Method: Eighty psychiatric trainees working in centres affiliated to a particular training scheme were invited to complete a purpose-designed instrument.

Results: Response rate was 52/80. Trainees were well informed concerning the procedures necessary to initiate detention. Their knowledge of the legal indications for involuntary detention and restrictions on its duration was patchy.

Conclusions: We suggest that training in the area of mental health legislation needs to be increased and to focus on satisfying legal requirements in real-life scenarios.

Keywords

Mental health legislation and jurisprudenceCommitment of mentally illProfessional competence.
Type
Brief Reports
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2001 , pp. 21 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Webb, M. Republic of Ireland: White Paper on a new Mental Health Act. Response of the Irish Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Psychiatric Bull 1997; 21: 307–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Law Society's Law Reform Committee. Mental Health: The Case For Reform. Dublin: Law Society of Ireland, 1999.Google Scholar
3.Browne, V. Protecting the rights of the most vulnerable. Dublin: The Irish Times, 1999.Google Scholar
4.Humphreys, M. Non-consultant psychiatrists' knowledge of emergency detention procedures in Scotland. Psych Bull 1997; 21: 631–635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Peske, MA, Wintob, RM. Emergency Commitment – a transcultural study. Am J Psychiat 1974; 131: 36–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Humphreys, MS, Ryman, A. Knowledge of emergency compulsory detention procedures among general practitioners in Edinburgh. BMJ 1996; 312: 1463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Appelbaum, PS, Hamm, RM. Decision to seek commitment: psychiatric decision making in a legal context. Arch Gen Psychiat 1982; 39: 447–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Affleck, GG, Peszke, MA, Wintrob, RM. Psychiatrists' familiarity with legal statutes governing emergency involuntary detention. Am J Psychiat 1978; 135: 205–09.Google Scholar
9.Humphreys, M. Consultant Psychiatrists' knowledge of mental health legislation in Scotland. Med Sci Law 1998; 38: 237–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Casey, PR. A Guide to Psychiatry in Primary Care (2nd ed). Petersfield: Wrightson Biomedical, 1997.Google Scholar