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Profile of staff grade psychiatrists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Aileen Blower*
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Lomond Healthcare NHS Trust, Vale of Leven District General Hospital, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire
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Abstract

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Aims and method

Staff grade psychiatrists working in Scotland were surveyed by postal questionnaire in order to determine their demographic profile, career aspirations and experience of the grade.

Results

A heterogeneous group of doctors was identified, from a variety of professional backgrounds, and with a range of ambitions. Respondents generally held a favourable view of the grade, but expressed concern over perceived lack of opportunities for training, education and career progression. This is despite considerable recent efforts by the College to include non-consultant career grades in its programme for Continuing Professional Development.

Clinical implications

There remains scope for imaginative development of the grade. In particular, staff grade psychiatrists might benefit from a more individualised approach to, and support for, all areas of their professional development. Such ‘mentoring’ may be especially beneficial for staff grades in Scotland, for whom geographical, as well as professional isolation, can be problematic.

Type
Original papers
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

References

Department of Health and Social Security (1986) Hospital Medical Staffing: Achieving a Balance. London: DHSS.Google Scholar
Department of Health and Social Security (1987) Hospital Medical Staffing: Achieving a Balance - Plan for Action. London: DHSS.Google Scholar
Royal College of Physicians (1993) Staff Grade Doctors: Towards a Better Future. London: Royal College of Physicians.Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists (1995) Annual Census of Psychiatric Staffing (Occasional Paper OP34). London: Royal College of Psychiatrists.Google Scholar
Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (1996) The educational needs of Staff Grade Doctors and Dentists in Scotland. Health Bulletin, 54. 318331.Google Scholar
Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical Education (1994) Meeting the Educational Needs of Staff Grade Doctors and Dentists. London: SCOPME.Google Scholar
Stein, G. (1997) Meetings with doctors in the staff grades: the development of affiliate status. Psychiatric Bulletin, 21, 405407.Google Scholar
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