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Service user involvement in training: the trainees' view

^*Early Intervention Service, Fir Tower, Springfield University Hospital, 61 Glenburnie Road, London SW17 0RE, e-mail: avk999{at}gmail.com

Joan Rutherford, Consultant in Adult Psychiatry

Talworth Hospital, Surbiton KT6 7QU

Steve Miller, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy

Springfield University Hospital, London SW17 7DJ

Lynne M. Drummond, Clinical Tutor

South-West London and St George's SHO Training Scheme, St George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 0RE

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

A questionnaire survey was conducted of trainees across the South-West London and St George's Basic Specialist Training Scheme in Psychiatry to explore their attitudes towards service user involvement in training.

RESULTS

Fifty-two completed questionnaires were received; 20 trainees (38%) had not attended teaching sessions where auser was present;35 trainees (67%) were agreeable to service user involvement in examinations. Reservations concerned the objectivity of service users in examination rating and their role as an expert on assessing the trainee's skill. Awareness of user involvement strategies and policies in their trusts were not matched with actual participation.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Service users should be involved in teaching in an expert capacity and also in examinations, with safeguards regarding transparency and objectivity of the marking schemes in place.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Malik, O. White, J. Mitchell, P. Henderson, and C. Oakley New Ways of Working and psychiatric trainees Psychiatr. Bull., June 1, 2008; 32(6): 230 - 232. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. S. Babu, R. Law-Min, T. Adlam, and V. Banks Involving service users and carers in psychiatric education: what do trainees think? Psychiatr. Bull., January 1, 2008; 32(1): 28 - 31. [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Haeney, R. Moholkar, N. Taylor, and T. Harrison Service user involvement in psychiatric training: a practical perspective Psychiatr. Bull., August 1, 2007; 31(8): 312 - 314. [Full Text] [PDF]

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