Encouraging recruitment into psychiatry: practical initiatives.

This article highlights key findings from a recent Royal College of Psychiatrists project showing that many UK medical schools are embracing the dual challenge of raising students' interest in psychiatry and ensuring that all doctors can support patients with mental illness. It focuses on two novel approaches to boosting recruitment into psychiatry: I'm a Medic Get Me Out of Here, an online outreach activity enabling schoolchildren to ask questions of health professionals in real time; and a living library, which creates a safe space for dialogue where topics are discussed openly between human books (professionals) and readers (undergraduate students) to challenge stereotypes. It is recommended that sharing these and other examples of good practice will help all medical schools encourage recruitment in psychiatry more widely.

Investing in human capital: exploring causes, consequences and solutions to nurses' dissatisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Human capital (employees) is the most important asset for healthcare. However, nurses experience some of the highest rates of burnout and dissatisfaction. In 2017, the Nursing and Midwifery Council reported that, for the first time since 2008, more nurses and midwives are leaving the profession in the UK than joining it. AIMS: The aim of this paper is to explore the literature regarding the importance of human capital within healthcare sectors in the UK, with a particular focus on nurses and job satisfaction. METHODS: A literature review was conducted with the focus on the aim, as stated above. Findings and conclusions have been summarised. Potential causes, consequences and solutions to job dissatisfaction are explored. RESULTS: Factors related to job satisfaction include pay, respect, security, workload, recognition, responsibility, environment, autonomy, personal growth, administrative bureaucracy and caseload. Investing and promoting 'organisational compassion' could be a key part of the solution. CONCLUSIONS: More research using the same validated tools for measuring job satisfaction will help with consistency and comparability across hospitals. It is hoped this could provide information aiding recruitment and retention, which is a problem within both the NHS and independent sectors.

Student career choice in psychiatry: findings from 18 UK medical schools.

Psychiatry recruitment continues to be a problem in the UK and large-scale studies are required to understand the factors surrounding this. A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey, incorporating demographics, career choices, teaching exposure, attitudes to psychiatry and personality factors, was administered to final-year UK medical students. A total of 484 students from 18 medical schools responded (66% women). Sixteen (16%) had chosen psychiatry at medical school entry. By final year, 15 respondents (3%) had decided to pursue a career in psychiatry, while another 78 (17%) were seriously considering it. There was little difference in the quality ratings of lectures and small group teaching between those interested in psychiatry and those not. Experience of 'enrichment activities' (psychiatry special study modules or components, psychiatric research, university psychiatry clubs, and psychiatry electives) were significantly more likely to take up psychiatry. Causality cannot, however, be determined in this study. The study identified several distinct groups of UK students: those deciding on psychiatry before medical school and maintaining that career choice, those deciding on psychiatry during medical school, and those interested in other fields. Addressing psychiatry teaching and exposure may improve recruitment into the speciality.

Twelve tips for junior doctors interested in a career in medical education.

BACKGROUND: As with the many specialities within medicine, the expanding field of medical education is becoming a more formal and professionalised arena. AIM: This article aims to assist junior doctors wishing to pursue formal educational roles in their future careers. METHODS: We offer twelve tips for junior doctors with these aspirations in mind, exploring a range of potential roles, resources and opportunities available. RESULTS: Twelve practical suggestions on how junior doctors can nurture their portfolios of evidence and subsequent future careers in medical education. CONCLUSIONS: The developing world of medical education is becoming evermore structured and professionalised. Educators of the future will need to demonstrate evidence of their knowledge, skills and experience in the field in order to effectively assume and perform educational roles.

Difficult decisions: are intellectually disabled patients given enough information to consent to medical treatment?

Patients with learning disabilities are not always involved in decision-making about their medications. This may mean that some patients are unfairly denied of their autonomy. We carried out an audit of current practice concerning consent to treatment in patients with learning disabilities against best practice guidelines. Data were collected via a questionnaire given to a sample of 70 patients with learning disabilities within the Salford catchment area. This questionnaire assessed whether patients were involved in decision-making regarding their medications and whether they were being given enough information to give informed consent. A total of 45 patients completed questionnaires. Overall, the patients' knowledge of their medications was poor, particularly of the proposed duration, possible disadvantages and name of the treatment. It appears that doctors are engaging these patients during consultations and discussing their medications. However, the delivery of this information needs to be improved, and patients' understanding and recall need to be checked more thoroughly.

Encouraging teaching and presentation skills.

BACKGROUND: After qualifying from medical school, doctors are expected to present on a regular basis in formal settings. It is important to acquire presenting skills early, so that students can practise and improve this skill prior to graduating. CONTEXT: Many medical students at Manchester University wanted more emphasis on presenting formally to give them experience prior to qualifying. There were other problems during the Psychiatry block that included non-attendance of students and clinicians for teaching sessions, and difficulty covering all aspects of the syllabus within a 4-week block. INNOVATION: Several presentation topics were devised on mental health based on the syllabus, for a pair of medical students to present to their peers within the Psychiatry block. A presentations skills training session was delivered at the start of each block. Students presented in pairs, chaired by a senior clinician. This was often the first time they had presented formally with formative, structured feedback. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This new addition to the available teaching was well received, and benefitted presenters, learners and facilitators alike: the presenters felt that they had obtained a deeper understanding of their chosen topic (all taken from the syllabus, and so relevant to their needs); the peer group wanted to listen to their colleagues present, thereby improving attendance rates; and busy clinicians were more likely to facilitate, as they did not have to prepare presentations and could practise their chairing and feedback skills. It represented an easy, reproducible and effective way of delivering teaching in a non-threatening environment that could be replicated in other specialties.