Perspectives of psychiatric trainees and examiners on the assessment of communication skills during an online clinical examination: a qualitative study.

Background: Effective doctor-patient communication is a core competency for healthcare professionals. With the pivot to online clinical education and assessment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to explore the views of psychiatric trainees and examiners on assessment of communication skills during online high stakes postgraduate examinations.

Methods: The study was designed as descriptive qualitative research.

Holistic assessment of patients with chronic mental disorders who attend a metabolic clinic in Sligo Town catchment area.

Background: People with serious mental illness exhibit higher morbidity and mortality rates of chronic diseases than the general population.

Aims: The aim of this study was to establish a dedicated clinic for patients with chronic mental illness to monitor physical health and quality of life in accordance with best practice guidelines.

Methods: Patients were invited to attend the clinic.

Continuity of care and mortality in people with schizophrenia.

Background: People with schizophrenia have shortened lives. This excess mortality seems to be related to physical health conditions that may be amenable to better primary and secondary prevention. Better continuity of care may enhance such interventions as well as help prevent death by self-injury.

Continuity of care and clinical outcomes in the community for people with severe mental illness.

Background: High continuity of care is prized by users of mental health services and lauded in health policy. It is especially important in long-term conditions like schizophrenia. However, it is not routinely measured, and therefore not often evaluated when service reorganisations take place.

Widening the net: exploring social determinants of burden of informal carers.

Objectives: Providing care for a person with dementia or other chronic illness at home often places stress on the primary caregiver. In an Irish population, ~67% of carers reported experiencing extreme physical or mental tiredness. This study aimed to identify factors that influence carer burden and identify the sub-populations of carers who are most susceptible to burden.

Hyponatraemia-associated catatonia.

This is a case report highlighting the impact of low sodium levels on one's mental status. For the first time in the literature, we see two discrete episodes of catatonia associated with hyponatraemia occurring in the same patient. On both occasions, his serum sodium levels were depleted; he became profoundly psychotic with catatonic symptoms.

Caring and its burdens. A study of the spouses of depressed patients.

Spouses of 24 patients suffering from persistent depression were interviewed to find out how they were affected by the patient's illness. These effects were marked, although mainly endured without complaint, and included restrictions in social and leisure activities, a fall in family income, and a considerable strain on marital relationships. Some of the behaviour shown by patients was hard to bear, and 'negative' symptoms such as misery, withdrawal, and worrying commonly caused problems.

The burden of care: the impact of functional psychiatric illness on the patient's family.

This paper reviews the literature on the effect of severe mental illness on other members of the patient's family. The burdens of caring for a patient at home are considerable. They often affect the caring relative's social and leisure activities, and financial problems arise frequently.