Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions
Aims and method This study assesses newly qualified doctors’ confidence in practising clinical skills related to the assessment and management of mental health conditions and how this correlates with other areas of medicine. We conducted a national survey of 1311 Foundation Year 1 doctors in the UK....
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | BJPsych Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423000487/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797786214422544384 |
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| author | George Gillett Owen Davis Amarit Gill Clare van Hamel |
| author_facet | George Gillett Owen Davis Amarit Gill Clare van Hamel |
| author_sort | George Gillett |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aims and method
This study assesses newly qualified doctors’ confidence in practising clinical skills related to the assessment and management of mental health conditions and how this correlates with other areas of medicine. We conducted a national survey of 1311 Foundation Year 1 doctors in the UK. Survey items assessed confidence recognising mentally unwell patients, conducting a mental state examination, assessing cognition and mental capacity, formulating a psychiatric diagnosis and prescribing psychotropic medications.
Results
A substantial proportion of surveyed doctors lacked confidence in their clinical skills related to mental health and prescribing psychotropic medications. Network analysis revealed that items corresponding to mental health were highly correlated, suggesting a potential generalised lack of confidence in mental healthcare.
Clinical implications
We identify areas of lack of confidence in some newly qualified doctors’ ability to assess and manage mental health conditions. Future research might explore how greater exposure to psychiatry, integrated teaching and clinical simulation might better support medical students for future clinical work.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:04:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3c0eb2416d4c4004b3c818effef26040 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4694 2056-4708 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:04:44Z |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj.art-3c0eb2416d4c4004b3c818effef260402023-07-06T07:13:11ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Bulletin2056-46942056-47081610.1192/bjb.2023.48Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditionsGeorge Gillett0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0270-9369Owen Davis1Amarit Gill2Clare van Hamel3Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UKUK Foundation Programme Office, Birmingham, UKUK Foundation Programme Office, Birmingham, UKSevern Postgraduate Medical Education Foundation School, Bristol, UKAims and method This study assesses newly qualified doctors’ confidence in practising clinical skills related to the assessment and management of mental health conditions and how this correlates with other areas of medicine. We conducted a national survey of 1311 Foundation Year 1 doctors in the UK. Survey items assessed confidence recognising mentally unwell patients, conducting a mental state examination, assessing cognition and mental capacity, formulating a psychiatric diagnosis and prescribing psychotropic medications. Results A substantial proportion of surveyed doctors lacked confidence in their clinical skills related to mental health and prescribing psychotropic medications. Network analysis revealed that items corresponding to mental health were highly correlated, suggesting a potential generalised lack of confidence in mental healthcare. Clinical implications We identify areas of lack of confidence in some newly qualified doctors’ ability to assess and manage mental health conditions. Future research might explore how greater exposure to psychiatry, integrated teaching and clinical simulation might better support medical students for future clinical work. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423000487/type/journal_articleClinical governanceeducation and trainingconsent and capacityethics |
| spellingShingle | George Gillett Owen Davis Amarit Gill Clare van Hamel Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions BJPsych Bulletin Clinical governance education and training consent and capacity ethics |
| title | Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| title_full | Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| title_fullStr | Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| title_short | Exploring foundation doctors’ self-reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| title_sort | exploring foundation doctors self reported confidence in the assessment and management of mental health conditions |
| topic | Clinical governance education and training consent and capacity ethics |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423000487/type/journal_article |
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