Integrating recovery-oriented practice into psychiatric registrar training

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services
• Psychological Wellbeing

Background:

• The 'recovery' paradigm is increasingly central to specialist mental health services.
• Effective implementation requires psychiatrists to adopt a hopeful outlook and value therapeutic relationships.
• Existing training may not adequately prepare trainees for this patient-centered approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel training initiative for psychiatry trainees focused on the recovery paradigm.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of training delivered by individuals with lived experience.
• To inform future developments in mental health professional education.

Main Methods:

• Development and trial of a training program on personal recovery and wellbeing for psychiatry trainees.
• Delivery of training by an instructor with expertise from their own recovery journey and peer support experience.
• Collection and analysis of participant feedback.

Main Results:

• The training initiative was successfully trialed.
• Participant feedback was positive, supporting the training's effectiveness.
• The training model is adaptable for further development.

Conclusions:

• Training in the recovery paradigm is essential for modern psychiatry.
• Peer support expertise is a valuable component of mental health professional training.
• This initiative shows promise for enhancing psychiatrist's approach to patient recovery and wellbeing.