Estimate associations of domestic violence (DV; physical, sexual, emotional, financial) with Emergency Department (ED) attendance for self-harm in women using mental health services.

We analysed data from the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS),an electronic health record database (EHR) from South London, of women who used South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Trust mental health services. We used a previously developed and validated natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to ascertain identification of DV types occurring within the first year of care and at any time. ED attendances for self-harm were gathered from hospital episodes statistics (HES) data linked tothe EHR database. We adjusted for variables relating to DV and self-harm such as age, ethnicity and psychiatric diagnosis to estimate associations of DV types with ED attendances for self-harm.

Between 2007 and 2020, 240,180 women used services. Missing data was excluded, data from 79,025 women were analysed. Overall, 2670 (3.4%) of women had ED self-harm attendance. The most common DV types recorded at any time were physical (28.8%) and emotional (13.7%). Sexual DV had the strongest association with self-harm. After adjusting for factors that can affect self-harm and DV, the strongest association was for physical DV. The strongest association in the first 12 months after referral was for financial DV.

Women with a history of DV are more likely to use mental health services. Associations between DV types with self-harm are unexplored. Women accessing services who experience DV are more likely to attend hospital due to self-harm than those not experiencing DV. Physical and emotional DV were the most common types. There were associations between self-harm and most DV types. These findings can inform interventions and service improvements.

To identify effective treatment approaches for ARFID in children and young people with Autism and to highlight the importance of family-based and multidisciplinary interventions to improve nutritional intake, mealtime behaviours, improve quality of life for children and caregivers and reduce long-term clinical burden through early intervention.

Review of existing literature on ARFID and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sources included Systematic review, Treatment protocols, Clinical trials and Peer review journals.

Evidence suggests there is high prevalence of ARFID in children with ASD. Parental acceptability and responsibility remains the core and significant area in the treatment journey.

Family based Treatment (FBT-ARFID) is very much effective and is the leading evidence-based manualised treatment for children that are of school-going age and adolescents. It helps the chosen family to re-establish healthy eating in their loved ones and also reduce the symptoms of the disorder–parents take lead in helping children recover with the help of multi-disciplinary approaches.

Family-based treatments and Unified protocol programmes (combination of FBT and CBT) to manage anxiety, food rigidity and sensory sensitivities, make mealtimes less stressful and help with an increase in the oral intake. Many studies have shown that children undergoing FBT have shown progressive gain in weight and also have reduced symptoms,giving parents and family hope in re-feeding their child.

Many school-going children and young adults can also have benefits from individual Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT helps people change their thinking patterns and behaviours to cope with changes in mood and help them cope overall.

ARFID and ASD co-occur due to shared sensory, cognitive rigidity and behavioural traits.

Early, individualised treatment can prevent severe nutritional and medical complications. Family-based interventions including family-based therapy and CBT are key to successful outcomes.

Investing in a structured ARFID-Autism service represents a high-impact, cost-effective solution. Combination of Family basedtreatment, early screening, and multi-disciplinary approaches can offer improved clinical outcomes for children and families.

Exploring an unusual, interesting case of Postictal Psychosis.

Gathering data from an encountered admission and previous hospital letters.

An interesting case that I had encountered through the initial 6 months of my training where a 46-year-old male was admitted for 2 years in hospital. He grew up living with his mother and two siblings. His premorbid personality described as extroverted, enjoyed reading books, playing bowls and watching the news. He is known to have trouble with dealing with frustration and coping with stress. He had a diagnosis of refractory epilepsy which limited his career to working in the family off licence shop, and also left school at the age of 16 due to bullying.

His past medical history included:

Severe Refractory Focal Epilepsy with Complex Parietal and Generalised seizures (Epilepsy first diagnosed at 15).

Right Temporal Cavernoma–surgical excision (2001), Hypothyroidism, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (1986), Splenectomy, Bone Marrow Transplant, Iron Deficiency Anaemia.

He doesn't have any history of use of illicit drugs or alcohol.

He was first diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 15. In the 2000s (Early) was having frequent seizures, family reported he’s reducing dose of AED on his own. He was admitted in November 2001 with complex partial status that required an ITU stay which led to a marked improvement in his seizure frequency. The week before admission he had become increasingly disturbed and developed psychotic behaviour. He was diagnosed with forced normalisation. He was given flupentixol.

He was trialled on most AEDs and was on 5 AEDs at the same time.

Mental health history included frequent admission under MHA and informally. He had frequent contact with Crisis team and ED and he was reported as a frequent caller. Hereported auditory and visual hallucinations specially after seizures. He was trialled onrisperidone, risperidone depot, haloperidol, lorazepam and diazepam, flupentixol.

He had multiple investigations throughout the years including MRI and CT head which didn't show any acute changes.

He was diagnosed eventually with Postictal Psychosis and Personality disorder according to Logsdail and Toone's criteria.

It is important to note the “herald symptoms” that occur hours before the psychosis sets in. The person becomes restless and irritable. They also usually develop insomnia.

Treatment includes: benzodiazepines, low-dose antipsychotic medication, RNS or deep brain stimulation. Surgery also may be an option, but risk must be calculated properly and the key is preventing seizures.

Behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is a neurodegenerative condition that typically presents in mid-life with early behavioural and personality change,often in the absence of marked global cognitive impairment. This clinical profile substantially overlaps with primary psychiatric disorders (PPDs), contributing to frequent misdiagnosis and diagnostic delay. Cognitive screening is routinely used in early assessment, yet the choice and interpretation of tools is often clinician-dependent and inconsistently taught. This work aims to explore how limitations in commonly used cognitive screening tools contribute to diagnostic uncertainty between bvFTD and PPDs, and to emphasise the importance of structured education on when and how to escalate assessment to appropriate neuroimaging.

A case-based educational analysis was undertaken using a representative behavioural presentation as a teaching framework. The current literature on cognitive screening tools, including the Mini-Mental State Examination, Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, was reviewed with attention to their sensitivity for detecting executive and social cognitive dysfunction. Evidence relating to neuroimaging modalities used in suspected bvFTD was also examined, including structural MRI, FDG-PET, and amyloid PET, with emphasis on their relative diagnostic roles in resolving behavioural diagnostic ambiguity.

Global cognitive screening tools, which are weighted towards memory and orientation, demon3strate limited sensitivity for early bvFTD, where executive and social cognitive deficits often predominate. This contributes to frequent misclassification as psychiatric illness when screening results are interpreted in isolation. Structural MRI provides supportive but often non-discriminatory findings in early disease, particularly where subcortical involvement may precede overt cortical atrophy. FDG-PET offers greater diagnostic utility by identifying frontal and anterior temporal hypometabolism; however, findings are not entirely specific and require careful clinical correlation due to the incidenceof false positives. Amyloid PET does not directly differentiate bvFTD from PPDs but serves an important exclusionary role by ruling out Alzheimer’s disease in atypical behavioural presentations.

Effective differentiation of bvFTD from primary psychiatric disorders requires more than symptom recognition alone. Improved education in cognitive screening–specifically tool selection, interpretation, and limitations–combined with clearer escalation strategies for neuroimaging, is essential. Future educational and diagnostic approaches may benefit from integrating quantitative imaging techniques with emerging biological markers, including genetic testing in early-onset presentations and fluid biomarkers such as neurofilament light chain. Embedding these principles within medical training supports a multimodal diagnostic framework, with important implications for reducing misdiagnosis and improving patient outcomes.

Undergraduate psychiatry education is frequently limited by variable clinical exposure, ethical constraints in involving acutely unwell patients, and restricted opportunitiesfor students to practise high-stakes consultations. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) simulation platforms offer a potential solution by enabling students to rehearse clinical encounters in a structured and safe environment. This poster aims to present lessons learned from the implementation of generative AI-supported simulations for fourth-year medical students at Aston Medical School. Specifically, it explores how students and tutors experienced the integration of AI-facilitated consultations into the curriculum and identifies factors that influenced engagement, learning value, and trust in assessment.

A mixed-methods educational evaluation was conducted following the introduction of AI-based consultation simulations within the fourth-year psychiatry programme. Feedback was gathered through anonymised student questionnaires, facilitated debrief sessions after simulation use, and structured discussions with clinical tutors involved in teaching and assessment. Data focused on students’ perceived learning value, alignment with clinical placements, clarity of feedback and marking criteria, and overall usability of the platform. Tutor reflections on feasibility, integration with existing teaching, and impact on small-group learning were also collected. Qualitative themes were identified through thematic review of student and tutor comments.

Students generally recognised the potential value of generative AI simulation as a safe environment to practise structured consultations, particularly for OSCE preparation and rehearsal of high-risk scenarios such as suicide risk assessment and capacity evaluations. Many reported that the tool was most effective when used after formal teaching or placement exposure, supporting consolidation and revision. However, engagement was reduced when simulations were used as a first exposure to unfamiliar clinical material or were misaligned with placement timing. Some students expressed uncertainty about AI-generated markingcriteria and pass thresholds, noting that checklist-based feedback could sometimes feel disconnected from authentic clinical reasoning. Mandatory debrief sessions were valued when they facilitated reflection and discussion but were perceived as less helpful when they repeated automated feedback. Tutors highlighted the importance of clear learning objectives, integration with small-group teaching, and transparency around assessment processes.

Generative AI simulation can enhance undergraduate psychiatry education by providing scalable opportunities for structured practice and feedback. Its effectiveness depends on thoughtful curriculum integration, alignment with clinical teaching, and clarity around assessment and feedback. Student and tutor perspectives suggest that AI is most beneficial when used to augment, rather than replace, traditional teaching and reflective debriefing. These lessons offer practical insights for educators seeking to incorporate generative AI into medical education in a pedagogically meaningful and learner-centred way.

The aim of this study was to explore medical students’ perceptions of psychiatry placements, with a particular focus on factors influencing engagement and absenteeism.Psychiatry placements represent a critical component of undergraduate medical education, yet concerns persist regarding inconsistent attendance and variable student engagement. This study sought to better understand the lived experiences of students during these placements in order to identify modifiable educational and structural factors. We hypothesised that stigma associated with psychiatry, the quality of the teaching environment, and the organisation and structure of placements significantly influence students’ attendance, enjoyment, and overall engagement during psychiatry rotations.

Psychiatry placements play an essential role in preparing future doctors to recognise, assess, and manage mental health conditions with competence and compassion. Despite this importance, psychiatry has historically been associated with stigma, both within society and the medical profession, which may negatively influence students’ attitudes and motivation. Reports of absenteeism and disengagement during psychiatry placements raise concerns about the effectiveness of current educational approaches. Gaining insight into students’ perspectives may help educators better understand barriers to engagement and inform improvements in placement design, teaching delivery, and student support.

A qualitative study design was employed using semi-structured focus groups. Seven focus groups were conducted with medical students undertaking psychiatry placements, moderated by a Teaching Fellow to encourage open discussion. Topics explored included experiences of psychiatry placements, perceptions of the specialty, and factors influencing attendance or absenteeism. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, resulting in six usable transcripts. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, with coding and data management supported by Taguette software. The study was conducted with appropriate ethical approval and institutional governance oversight (Newcastle University; Application: 2524/30425).

Four key themes were identified: (1) stigma and misconceptions surrounding psychiatry, (2) teaching and learning environment, (3) drivers of absenteeism, and (4) factors promoting engagement. Stigma and limited understanding of psychiatry were found to negatively affect students’ motivation to attend placements. Positive teaching environments, supportive supervisors, and clear learning objectives were reported as strong facilitators of engagement. Absenteeism was commonly associated with perceptions of limited relevance to future practice, inconsistent teaching quality, and competing academic pressures.

This study highlights the multifactorial drivers of engagement and absenteeism during psychiatry placements. Addressing stigma, improving teaching quality, and fostering supportive learning environments may enhance attendance and student experience. These findings support the development of targeted educational interventions aimed at improving engagement with psychiatry and nurturing confident, compassionate future clinicians.

The global mental health burden continues to increase, alongside rising community demand for accessible mental health education. While resident-led outreach initiatives are encouraged within graduate medical education, there is limited longitudinal evaluation of their scalability, sustainability, and community impact, particularly within psychiatry and the Middle East. This study aimed to evaluate the design, expansion, reach, and perceived impact of a resident-led Mental Health Awareness programme embedded within leadership training at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar. We hypothesised that a structured resident-led model would demonstrate scalable growth, sustained community engagement, and meaningful perceived benefit.

A three-year descriptive programme evaluation was conducted for the Leadership Sub-Committee of the Psychiatry Residency Training Program (Mental Health Awareness). The initiative delivered interactive educational sessions, stigma-reduction workshops, and skills-based mental health literacy training tailored to secondary school students and teachers, university students, youth summer programmes, and government-sector staff. Prospective process indicators included number of sessions delivered, annual delivery hours, and diversity of audience sectors. Qualitative narrative feedback from host organisations and participants was systematically collated following each activity. Iterative quality-improvement cycles were implemented to refine content, delivery approaches, and community partnerships.

Programme delivery expanded approximately six-fold over the evaluation period, with annual activity increasing from approximately 25 hours to 150 hours. Engagement evolved from opportunistic school-based sessions to a structured annual outreach calendarencompassing educational institutions, youth programmes, and governmental organisations. Inbound requests and repeat invitations increased consistently year-on-year, demonstrating sustained demand and stakeholder satisfaction. Qualitative feedback highlighted improved mental health literacy, increased willingness to seek professional help, stigma reduction, and practical benefit for educators and organisational staff. Host institutions emphasised cultural relevance, continuity of engagement, and the credibility of resident leadership as key strengths.

Embedding community mental health outreach within structured psychiatry residency leadership training can produce scalable, sustainable, and high-demand public mental health engagement. Progressive expansion in activity volume, diversification of target audiences, and consistently positive stakeholder feedback support institutionalisation and strategic resourcing of resident-led mental health awareness initiatives as a core public mental health function.

To assess whether a structured psychiatry shadowing programme at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is associated with improved clinical preparedness among trainees and to examine whether motivation and well-being modify the relationship between shadowing quality and preparedness.

In 2024, a comparative cross-sectional anonymous online survey was distributed to psychiatry trainees at HMC (N=45). Participants were grouped by completion of the shadowing programme. Preparedness was measured across core clinical domains including psychiatric interviewing, management of psychiatric emergencies, independent patient management, electronic medical record use, and multidisciplinary team collaboration. Perceived skills gained, satisfaction, and attitudes toward the programme were captured. Multiple linear regression assessed predictors of overall preparedness (shadowing quality, motivation, well-being). Moderation analyses examined whether motivation and well-being modified the association between shadowing quality and preparedness.

Of 45 respondents, 26 (57.8%) had completed the shadowing programme. Confidence in conducting psychiatric interviews increased significantly, with the proportion rating themselves as “confident” rising from 4.4% before shadowing to 28.9% after shadowing (χ²=15.556; p=0.016). The most frequently reported gains were familiarity with the electronic medical record system (48.9%) and psychiatric interviewing skills (46.7%). Shadowing quality was a strong predictor of preparedness (β=0.46; p<0.0001). Motivation and well-being were not independent predictors but significantly moderated this relationship (well-being: p=0.0012; motivation: p=0.030), indicating stronger benefits of high-quality shadowing among trainees with higher well-being and motivation. No adverse outcomes were reported.

As one of the first evaluations of a structured shadowing programme in a psychiatry residency context, this study demonstrates a meaningful association between high-quality shadowing and trainee clinical readiness. Findings support the integration of structured shadowing into early residency curricula, alongside parallel investment in trainee well-being and engagement to maximise educational impact.

In 2025, 6366 applicants sat Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) examinations. High stakes for applicants include cost, difficulty, and career progression. Written exams cost around £500, and roughly £1000 for UK-based CASC (Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies). Pass rates range between 35–71.2% for written exams and 44.6–65.3% for UK-based CASC. MRCPsych completion is essential for accessing higher training. Trainees attend school-run MRCPsych programmes to becomerounded clinicians, but some voice concerns around insufficient examination focus and purchase additional study resources.

Post-Covid norms include decentralised and online teaching, which diminished networking opportunities enabling peer study groups forming. Theories from Vygotsky (Zone of Proximal Development Theory), Bandura (Social Learning Theory), and Jean Pol-Martin (Protégé Effect) favour peer-learning principles.

This project evaluated whether locally implemented peer-led study groups blending online and in-person sessions improved perceived examination confidence, preparedness, and syllabus knowledge.

Plan, Do, Study, Act approach was utilised. A focus group identified group-study themes (preparation, structure, content, feedback) and challenges (format, learning styles, additional needs, resources, geographical spread, availability) and identified aims and outcome measures (Likert scale measuring perceived examination confidence, preparedness, and syllabus knowledge).

Written examination groups started in January 2025. Participants self-arranged weekly online or face-to-face sessions blending peer-led teaching with group discussion answering multiple choice questions from shared question banks. Session frequency increased approaching examinations, and prioritised questions. Face-to-face CASC sessions featuring consultant examiners occurred monthly between March–July 2025. Affordable technology including microphones and video-calling enabled some examiners to assess remotely.

Feedback (39.4% response) on school-led teaching flagged insufficient interactivity,passion, and examination/curriculum focus. School-led CASC session organisation was praised; however, participant anxiety and feedback quality were concerning.

93.3% of participants felt written examination study groups led by higher trainees and consultants were relevant if available, 66.7% felt peer-led groups were relevant, and 66.7% felt happy with both online or in-person sessions. 100% of CASC participants strongly valued consultant examiner feedback.

Post evaluation, 100% favoured continuing CASC groups; and 87% favoured continuing written examination groups. 100% of CASC participants agreed or strongly agreed perceiving improvements in examination confidence, preparedness, and syllabus knowledge; and 75% of written examination participants strongly agreed perceiving improvements in these areas, satisfying project aims.

Continuing peer-led group study initiatives was deemed worthwhile and successfully improved perceived examination confidence, preparedness, and syllabus knowledge. This represents a relatively inexpensive solution which, if scaled nationally, could beneficially supplement deaneries’ existing MRCPsych programmes.

Core Psychiatry Training is designed to provide structured clinical experience, supervision, and professional development while supporting trainee wellbeing and progression. However, the lived experience of trainees within training programmes, particularly in relation to supervision, workload, assessment burden, and support for examinations, is less frequently explored in depth. Understanding these experiences is important for maintaining training quality and supporting trainee confidence and retention.

This study explores the experiences of doctors enrolled in Core Psychiatry Training across core Psychiatry rotation, focusing on the quality of supervision, workload pressures, assessment burden, well-being support, and perceived preparedness for examinations and progression.

An anonymous cross-sectional survey was distributed to all 47 Core Psychiatry Trainees (CT1–CT3) within the South Yorkshire Rotation. The questionnaire covered key aspects of training, including induction, clinical and educational supervision, teaching access, workload and working patterns, workplace-based assessments and portfolio requirements, ARCP experience, wellbeing support, inclusion, and career development. Responses were analysed using both descriptive statistics and thematic synthesis to identify patterns and tensions across placements. This study did not meet the NIHR “What is Research” criteria and therefore did not require NHS Research Ethics Committee review.

Thirty of the 47 eligible trainees responded. Trainees’ experiences wereheterogeneous and strongly placement dependent. Supervision was generally valued when accessible, particularly for clinical decision-making and risk management; however, the frequency, consistency, and scope of supervisory support varied considerably. Educational supervision was more commonly experienced as administrative than developmentally proactive, with limited structured support for examination preparation or career planning.

Workload pressures were frequently reported, with many trainees working beyond contracted hours and experiencing difficulty taking breaks. Portfolio and assessment requirements were widely viewed as time-consuming, contributing to stress around ARCP preparation despite general perceptions of procedural fairness. Support for examination preparation was often informal or self-directed, influencing trainee confidence and increasing reliance on peers rather than supervisors.

Awareness of wellbeing support varied, and feeling supported did not always correlate with knowledge of available resources. While most trainees reported feeling respected within their teams, some lacked confidence in seeking help around exams or performance concerns.

This evaluation highlights substantial variation in the lived experiences of Core Psychiatry Trainees within core training Rotation. While trainees value supervision and support when available, inconsistencies in engagement, exam-focused guidance, workload protection, and wellbeing support impact confidence, stress, and perceived preparedness for progression. Capturing trainee experience in this way provides an important foundation for reflective review of training delivery and trainee support.

There is a significant and rapidly widening chasm between the demand for Old Age Psychiatry and what the current workforce can deliver.

We aimed to review the changing burden of psychiatric disease in the 55–65 age group to help predict future needs, the current workforce providing this care and the training providing this in the future.

We have collected data regarding the rate of complex psychiatric diagnoses in 55–65 and 65 and older people in South London and Maudsley and Cambridge and Peterborough, building on previous work using anonymised data sets.

We reviewed data collected by the Royal College of Psychiatrists regarding numbers of older adult psychiatric posts and training rates to older adult posts across the country. Various existing data was compiled to show past demographic changes and future expectations in training.

The Older Adult UK cohort is growing, with a large cohort currently aged 55–65 soon to enter the over 65 age band. This group is projected to show increased complex psychiatric comorbidity which Older Adults services are poorly equipped to address. This will be an additional complication to the already complex medicalcomorbidity expected in Older Adult populations. This pattern of increasing psychiatric and medical comorbidity is only set to increase as prevalence of psychiatric disorders rises in the UK population.

Meanwhile, consultant provision in Old Age psychiatry is currently insufficient. RCPsych data demonstrates that 28.8% of Old Age psychiatry consultant posts in the UK are currently vacant or filled by locum doctors. Adjusted for population, the number of old age psychiatry consultants in England has been trending downwards over the last decade, with similar trends in the devolved nations. This is despite previous workforce projections from the Royal College which anticipate that the number of Old Age psychiatry consultant posts needs to double. Our collected data shows retirement rates have remained relatively static, implicating the major contributor to the current workforce shortfall is the consistent underfilling ofOld Age psychiatry specialty training posts.

Our review of RCPsych census data shows that Older Adult training posts have been consistently underfilled across the country. The average fill rate across the last decade for Older Adult posts sits at 49% nationally with high inter-regional differences, contributing to over 300 posts not being filled across the decade.

Without corrective action, Old Age psychiatry services are at risk of deteriorating,becoming increasingly unsafe and unable to accommodate the vulnerable populations they serve.

To address this the Older Adults Faculty at the Royal College is working to highlight these current and projected shortfalls and review the contributing factors to develop a new workforce plan.

To evaluate the impact of AI use on psychotherapy training for “core trainee” psychiatry residents. Psychotherapy training for residents includes theory-based teaching, courses, Balint groups, and completion of two psychotherapy cases across different modalities, all supervised by experienced psychotherapists. This includes anonymised case summaries, including a formulation.

A short questionnaire about AI use was sent to core training psychiatry residents working in CWPT via email, asking about their use of AI in psychotherapy training. The data is both quantitative and qualitative, summarising emerging themes. A similar survey was done for England-based psychotherapy tutors and is reported in a separate poster.

14 out of 32 residents completed the questionnaire. 85.7% of responders reported they don’t have experience of using AI in psychotherapy training or teaching. Those who used it reported using it for questions about psychotherapy, advice on how to discuss certain topics, and to “consolidate summaries and formulations” or “to write up sessions”.

When combining the “yes” and “maybe” responses, most residents supported using AI for teaching psychotherapy concepts, assisting with scribing, and producing formulations (57.14%, 71.42%, and 71.42%, respectively). 28.57% did not support the use of AI-assisted formulation.

28.57% of residents expressed concerns about confidentiality, 35.71% mentioned concerns about a “lack of contextual or emotional understanding” by AI. 14.28% had concerns about AI replacing therapists in the future or about inputting data into AI models, which could facilitate this. 14.28% mentioned that the responses generated can be inaccurate.

When asked about the “best use” of AI 42.85% listed explaining or breaking down concepts (teaching). 14.28% suggested its use for scribing.

Most respondents didn’t use AI in psychotherapy training or teaching. There is however significant support for its use for teaching, scribing and formulations. The residents expressed relevant concerns about the data protection and about AI lacking an in-depth understanding about emotions and context if being used in patient care.

A significant part of psychotherapy learning involves reflections about the sessions, facilitated by writing session summaries and supervision. The case formulation is a key part of the shared understanding, between resident, patient and the supervisor. AI being used to replace the process can negatively impact learning. Agreed guidance on best practice for the use of AI in psychotherapy training could assist residents in learning psychotherapy concepts and understanding potential pitfalls with AI use.

Following a serious untoward incident (SUI) involving a service user under the care of the Intensive Home Treatment Team for Older People (IHTT) in Leeds, a learning need was identified around the recognition of medication overdose, particularly in community mental health settings. Debrief around the incident highlighted a gap in confidence and awareness, particularly among non-medical staff in recognising potential overdose presentations outside acute hospital environments.

To address this, we designed and implemented a targeted teaching session with the aim of strengthening clinical vigilance and early identification of possible overdose and provide practical, scenario-based education for frontline staff, to ultimately reduce the risk of similar incidents by improving knowledge, confidence and decision-making.

A teaching session was developed by resident doctors in response to the SUI learning. It was designed for delivery to non-medical, community-based mental health staff and focused on recognising overdose presentations, including atypical or non-specific symptoms. Teaching sessions were delivered across a 1-hour format and incorporated case-based discussion, practical scenarios, and guidance around escalation and response. Feedback was collected through online forms in addition to informal verbal and email responses. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed to evaluate the quality, relevance andperceived impact of the teaching.

More than 50 staff members have attended the sessions so far, with more sessions planned. Quantitative analysis showed high levels of satisfaction and perceived benefits: 100% of respondents rated the quality, clarity and relevance of the session as 5/5. Participants reported a significant improvement in understanding of overdose presentations (mean score 4.83/5) and 94% reported increased confidence in responding to suspected overdose situations (mean score 4.39/5). Qualitative feedback highlighted strong engagement with the session content, with particular value placed on worked case examples. Suggestions for improvement included covering additional scenarios, proving an accessible quick-reference document and shortening the session to allow wider staff engagement.

This project successfully addressed an identified learning gap following an SUI and was positively received by community mental health staff. Early feedback suggests it improves confidence and awareness in recognising potential overdose presentations in community settings. Future plans include wider and sustained implementation through a concise 15-minute core teaching package, development of a quick-reference guide, and further delivery to additional community teams, as well as inpatient units that have expressed an interest.

The initiative demonstrates how structured, reflective learning from adverse events can translate into meaningful improvements in frontline clinical practice.

To review the utility of the traditional Mental State Examination (MSE) in identifying feeding or eating disorders (FEDs), and to propose a modernised approach that incorporates assessment of eating behaviours, nutrition, weight, and body image disturbance to improve detection and patient safety.

A narrative review of existing MSE frameworks was undertaken, examining their historical development and relevance to contemporary psychiatric presentations. The unique diagnostic challenges of FEDs were considered, alongside common barriers to detection such as stigma, ego-syntonic psychopathology and structural inequalities in the medical establishment. Our co-author provided lived experience accounts to provide a patient-led perspective on the limitations of the MSE in modern practice. Based on these gaps, a proposal was developed to integrate semi-structured questions on diet, weight, and compensatory behaviours into routine MSE practice.

The emphasis of the current MSE is seen to be heavily weighted towards traditional psychiatric presentations such as psychosis and affective disorders, inadequately capturing key psychopathology associated with FEDs such as eating behaviours, nutritional status, andbody image disturbance. This omission risks delayed diagnosis and compromised patient safety. Incorporating targeted, semi-structured questions into the MSE offers a feasible and systematic way to improve early recognition of FEDs across diverse populations. Additional benefits will be gained in safe psychotropic drug monitoring with early recognition of nutritional side effects.

Modernising the MSE to explicitly include assessment of eating behaviours and related psychopathology may enhance early detection of FEDs, reduce stigma through routine enquiry, and improve clinical outcomes and patient safety. Updates to medical training and everyday psychiatric practice are required in tandem to reflect the diverse presentations of modern mental health disorders.

Teaching on an inpatient acute ward is often ad-hoc and deprioritised due to clinical pressures, with structured teaching usually targeted primarily at medical trainees. The aim of this project was to establish a weekly ‘bitesize’ teaching programme delivered immediately following the Wednesday morning huddle. The objectives were to improve shared understanding of physical health and core psychiatric topics, improve inter-disciplinaryunderstanding and to create a positive culture of regular, expected and structured MDT teaching on the ward.

A weekly ‘bitesize’ teaching programme called Wednesday wisdom was established and delivered immediately following the Wednesday morning team huddle. Sessions were designed to be time-efficient and sustainable within a busy inpatient environment, lasting 10–15 minutes. Members of staff from multiple disciplines were contacted to deliver sessions, including pharmacists, dieticians, chaplaincy and mental health nurses.

Anonymous pre-programme questionnaires were distributed to the MDT to assess perceived adequacy of current teaching opportunities on the ward and acceptability of the proposed programme.

Baseline questionnaires (n=7) highlighted a lack of structured MDT teaching, with 71% of respondents reporting that there were not enough opportunities for MDT teaching on the ward. Mean self-rated confidence scores were 6.4/10. There was a high perceived likelihood of attendance if the sessions were scheduled immediately after the Wednesday morning huddle (72%).

Post-programme feedback demonstrated high satisfaction across all measured domains. 100% of respondents wanted the programme to continue and would recommend the format to other wards. Mean scores were high for relevance to role 9.7/10, being pitched at an appropriate level 9.3/10, appropriate session length 10/10, overall usefulness 9.6/10, increased confidence at applying learning 9.4/10, inclusivity and relevance to MDT 9.5/10 and integration intoward routine 10/10. A small number of respondents suggested refining pharmacy and medically focused sessions to ensure accessibility for the wider MDT.

This programme demonstrates that short and structured MDT teaching embedded within existing ward structures can be a highly effective way of improving learning opportunities in a busy inpatient psychiatric setting and can be delivered with minimal resources.

During a routine presentation of a ‘mental state examination’ (MSE) within clinical supervision, we noted a hesitancy to describe a patient’s appearance with regards to their race and ethnicity, in a manner routinely taught during training. Our aim was to critically engage with relevant literature to inform our understanding of whether teaching the routine inclusion of race and ethnic descriptors within the MSE should be challenged.

We conducted a review of relevant literature. Six articles were included (full references available).

Limitations within diagnostic formulation: Race, associated with physical characteristics, and ethnicity, associated with descent and cultural factors, are poorly defined, Racial categories do not robustly represent biological predisposition to mental illness. Ethnicity might be considered a ‘shortcut’ to understanding an individual’s sociocultural predisposition to mental illness, however this is shaped by broader societal influences across the lifespan.

Risks of stereotyping: Despite a decline in stereotyping of patients by psychiatrists, racial stereotyping, whether arising from conscious or unconscious biases, remains an issue. Such stereotyping can lead to inaccurate assumptions which may contribute to disparities in diagnosis and healthcare delivery.

Impact of racial/ethnic mis-assignment: Visual assessments of race/ethnicity, based on offhand observations, risk mis-assignment. There is evidence from non-clinical settings that this has a negative impact on sense of identity and mental health. In a specialty where patients often have a complex sense of their own identity, this may cause additional unintended harm. A positive view of one’s ‘self’ is important to recovery; conversely invalidation of a patient’s ‘knowledge of self’ may contribute to epistemic injustice. Being mis-labelled by professionals may also reinforce mistrust of mental health services by some ethnic minorities, contributing to perpetuation of inequalities in accessing care.

Risks of ‘colour blind’ practice: Recognising and understanding an individual’s ethnicity may validate a patient’s sense of identity and is vital for providing holistic care. Recording, recognising and researching race and ethnicity is crucial to better understand and address health disparities within mental health.

Understanding patients’ ethnic and cultural identities is crucial to appreciate and respond to their mental health difficulties. However, we challenge teaching the routine inclusion of race and ethnic descriptors within the ‘mental state examination’. It has little value in supporting formulation and treatment planning, and may contribute towards damaging stereotyping and mis-assignment. Teaching psychiatric trainees to engage in conversations around patients’ heritage and to incorporate relevant aspects within their formulation and treatment is crucial.

Educational, clinical and psychiatric supervision play a crucial role in the development of psychiatric trainees, contribute to safe clinical practice, and promote trainee wellbeing. Whilst resident doctors express high levels of satisfaction with supervision within the National Training Survey, the lived experience of psychiatric trainees of supervision is not well understood; evidenced within a systematic review of the literature. Thus, the aim of this project was to explore the experience of psychiatric trainees in Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust (KMMH) of supervision, with a focus on key factors affecting their satisfaction.

A focus group, qualitative methodology was used. Fifteen core and higher psychiatric trainees were recruited through purposive sampling. Four focus groups were conducted via Microsoft Teams. Anonymised transcripts were verified through member checking. Data saturation was achieved. Ethical approval was granted from the University of Kent.

Participants described beneficial aspects of supervision and areas that were more challenging. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes emerged:

Scheduled Regular Supervision: Not only being able to access regular supervision, but for this to be scheduled, enabling trainees to plan the agenda in advance.

Knowledge of Supervision: For supervisors and trainees to understand the value of a shared agenda and the remit of supervision, specifically the distinction between clinical and educational supervision. Participants described difficulties when supervision was trivialised through supervisors equating brief informal discussions with required weekly reflective one-to-one supervision.

Support Across the Training Journey: Adapting the supervisory offer in response to differing levels of experience and key transition points was perceived as helpful, particularly for international medical graduates.

Fostering Mutual Respect: Enablers of a mutually respectful relationship were flattening the traditional power hierarchy and engaging in bi-directional feedback; barriers to providing feedback were described.

Psychological Safety: Adopting a non-judgemental stance towards trainees was recognised as important, alongside supervisors making genuine efforts to ‘check in’, avoiding comparing trainees to others, and conducting supervision in a private space.

The project has contributed to a deeper understanding regarding psychiatric trainees’ experience of supervision, not only factors perceived as helpful but also the complexity and nuance required; captured adeptly by a trainee “that's why there's such an art to supervision”. Recommendations are proposed: To foster conditions that promote helpful supervisory behaviours; to empower trainees within their supervision; and co-create feedback systems that recognise and respond to unhelpful supervisory behaviours without fear of adverse repercussions.

People with severe mental illness experience substantially higher premature mortality than the general population, much of which relates to physical health conditions. Mental health inpatient teams therefore need confidence and capability to recognise acute deterioration and escalate promptly. Evidence and local experience suggest mental healthnursing staff can feel under-prepared for acute physical health assessment and escalation, particularly for time-critical presentations such as chest pain (CP) and shortness of breath (SOB). This project was prompted by a real near-miss incident in which CP was not escalated appropriately to medical staff. We aimed to evaluate whether a focused, doctor-delivered teaching session improves nursing staff confidence in recognising and escalating CP and SOB in a mental health inpatient setting, and to support development of a wider ongoing physical health teaching programme.

Medical staff delivered a brief interactive session addressing symptom recognition, red flags, initial assessment, and structured escalation. Participants completed pre- and post-session confidence ratings on a Likert Scale (with 1 meaning not at all confident, to 5 meaning very confident) in four domains: recognising CP, escalating CP, recognising SOB, and escalating SOB. Mean changes were analysed overall and by staff group (band 5 registered nurses, non-registered nursing staff, and nursing management).

Fifty-five staff participated (registered band 5 nurses n=20; non-registered nursing staff n=31; nursing management n=4). Confidence increased across all domains: recognising CP 3.25 to 4.36 (+1.11); escalating CP 3.15 to 4.27 (+1.13); recognising SOB 3.45 to 4.42 (+0.96); escalating SOB 3.15 to 4.29 (+1.15). The proportion reporting increased confidence was 76.4% (recognising CP), 74.5% (escalating CP), 69.1% (recognising SOB), and 72.7% (escalating SOB). Improvements were observed across all staff groups, with the largest gains among non-registered nursing staff, particularly for escalation.

A short, doctor-led, ward-relevant teaching intervention was associated with meaningful improvements in mental health nursing staff confidence to recognise and escalateacute physical health presentations, addressing a key patient-safety risk highlighted by a near-miss. Following this intervention, doctor-delivered teaching was continued across additional physical health topics to build and maintain capability within the wider nursing team. The programme is now being rolled out to other services within the Trust, prompting a service evaluation to assess scalability and sustainability.

Cultural psychiatry explores the impact of social and cultural context on mental health and illness. Given new urgency by global anti-racism campaigns, cultural psychiatry teaching has been increasingly prioritised in recent years. However, there is currently little evidence on how cultural psychiatry training is being implemented in practice. By comparing different approaches, this research provides guidance on the benefits and limitations of different formats for teaching cultural psychiatry.

Four case studies of UK teaching programmes are compared, selected to reflect national variation and diversity of approach. The case studies differ in audience, form andstructure; on whether they were online or in-person; on whether they were mandatory or informal; and in their use of resources.

All groups emphasised the importance of psychological safety when facilitating challenging conversations. Informal sessions were associated with more open conversations; limitations included variable attendance, inadequate organisational time, problems inviting external speakers, and difficulties creating a safe frame. Online spaces were more accessible; but with concerns around engagement, safety and the ability to challenge insensitive comments. Sessions with external speakers brought alternate perspectives, but needed careful management to avoid insensitivity. Consideration was given to whether race and ethnicity were prioritised over other elements of culture such as sexuality, gender, religion and class.

Bringing cultural psychiatry into the curriculum offers the potential to improve both patient care and clinician wellbeing. Lessons learned from these case studies can guide mental health and teaching organisations seeking to implement similar courses.

Undergraduate psychiatry education is traditionally centred on inpatient services and secondary care experiences, despite the majority of mental health support occurring within communities. This imbalance risks reinforcing medicalised understandings of mental ill health and limits student exposure to preventative, psychosocial, and lived-experience led approaches. With evidence that many doctors practise in the regions where they train, there is a clear educational and workforce imperative to embed community engagement early in medical training. This project aimed to develop and evaluate a novel community-based placement at Middle Street Resource Centre, a charitable organisation providing mental health support and wellbeing services, with community, inclusion, and lived experience embedded at the core of medical education.

Medical students undertook a structured placement within Middle Street Resource Centre, a non-profit, open-access community hub providing psychosocial support without referral. Students embedded within the centre, participating in a range of existing community activities including music sessions, discussion groups, and social café spaces. In addition, the medical education team facilitated structured group sessions on bipolar disorder, mindfulness, and eating disorders which students actively participated in and co-designed. Evaluation was qualitative, drawing on detailed reflective accounts written by students following their placement experience.

Student reflections highlighted profound learning that extended beyond traditional clinical outcomes. Exposure to a non-judgemental, inclusive environment challenged students’ assumptions about mental illness and disability, strengthening empathy and reflective practice. Engagement with community members illustrated the importance of socialconnection, creativity, and belonging in mental wellbeing, and reinforced the preventative role of community services. Students reported increased confidence in communicating sensitively, adapting language to diverse populations, and appreciating the impact of stigma and diagnostic terminology. Observing and learning from staff and volunteers with lived experience further deepened understanding of relational, trust-based support, contrasting with more hierarchical clinical models. Many students described the placement as transformative, shaping how they intended to practise psychiatry and medicine more broadly.

Embedding medical students within community mental health hubs offers powerful educational value and complements traditional psychiatric training. This placement demonstrates a scalable, innovative model that prioritises prevention, inclusion, and lived experience, while fostering empathy, communication skills, and community connection. As we expand such placements across further community hubs, we recognise the potential to strengthen psychiatry education, support workforce sustainability, and place community at the heart of future mental health care.