Speciality: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Why choose this programme?
The nationally-coordinated higher specialty training program for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry was created in 2017 from the amalgamation of the 4 regional Deaneries in Scotland and is hosted/administered by the North of Scotland Deanery, based in Aberdeen. All ST4-6 CAP trainees in Scotland are part of the scheme, which is consistently rated highly in the GMC National Training Survey for CAP schemes across the UK. NHS Scotland does not have commissioning and has continued with the previously-established junior doctor contract, rather than implement the new junior doctor contract of England and Wales.
While the National CAP Specialty training scheme is Scotland-wide and has a total of 28 NTNs, these are distributed across four geographical regions as indicated below;
- West Scotland (14 NTNs), which includes five Health Boards: NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Forth Valley. N.B. this training complement includes 1 NTN for a dual Forensic-CAP post (see bottom of section for further details)
- South East Scotland (7 NTNs), which includes three Health Boards: NHS Borders, NHS Fife and NHS Lothian
- East Scotland (2 NTNs), which includes one Health Board, NHS Tayside
- North Scotland (5 NTNs), which includes two Health Boards, NHS Grampian and NHS Highland
Higher specialty training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is of 3 years (WTE) duration to achieve a CCT. The programme is underpinned by a continuous commitment to training, supervision and educational development, with a focus on developing the appropriate capabilities to become a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist.
The programme offers excellent training opportunities in a variety of different, well-developed clinical services. Trainees gain experience rotating through a number of placements within a single geographical region, with the exception of trainees in the North, who gain inpatient experience through a placement in Dundee (East region).
Posts are allocated in discussion with the Training Program Director and Educational Supervisor, taking into account individual training needs/interests and the requirement to gain a breadth of experience as per curriculum requirements. The ST4 year is usually a core placement with a generic community CAMHS team, which may be in an urban, semi-rural or rural setting. Moving into ST5 and ST6, there are opportunities for more specialised placements in Paediatric Liaison, LD-CAMHS, Looked After Children Services, Forensic Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Neuro Psychiatry, including Neurology Liaison and Intensive treatment service. These specialised placements differ in their availability around the country.
All trainees spend six months (WTE) in a child or adolescent inpatient unit. The Adolescent Inpatient Units are based in the East (Dundee), West (Glasgow) and South East (Edinburgh|) and the National Child Inpatient Unit is based in West (Glasgow). Specialised placements are for 6 months over a one-year period in either ST5 or ST6, with the other year being spent in a community CAMHS post complementary to the ST4 placement (or in further specialised posts depending on training needs and local resources). Moving into ST5 and ST6, trainees are encouraged to develop special interests, using sessions for Protected Professional Development.
Trainees in the West are part of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde out of hours CAP rota, while trainees in the South East participate in an NHS Lothian out of hours CAP rota. Trainees in the East take part in the Tayside wide General Adult Psychiatry on call rota, while in the North, trainees are part of a city wide General Adult Psychiatry on call rota.
Dual training in Forensic and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is of 5 years (WTE) duration. Placements are in the West and alternate between the 2 specialities, starting with a generic community CAMHS team in ST4, before moving to a Forensic placement in ST5. Training opportunities will include more specialist CAP placements as listed above (including 6 months inpatient experience), as well as 6 months placed at the State Hospital. The final year of training (ST8) will focus on Forensic CAMHS experience (inpatient and/or community based). Throughout their training the trainee participates in the out of hours on call rota relevant to the specialty they are working in at that time.
CAP run through training is being developed in Scotland. It was launched in Aug 23 with 2 run through posts, based in the West of Scotland, and further posts have been developed in the North and South east rotations for Aug 24. The first 3 years of CAP run through training are very similar to psychiatry core training, but with one exception – placements in the ST2 year focus on developing child and adolescent psychiatry related skills, and typically include 6 months in a generic community CAMHS post, complemented by 6 months in a paediatric-link post, such as paediatric liaison. All ST1-3 placements for run through trainees will be in the locality equivalent to their corresponding core training scheme. Training requirements for run through trainees are the same as for core trainees, and successful ARCP outcomes and exam progression are required at the end of the ST3 year before run through trainees seamlessly transition to CAP specialty training (i.e. no competitive interviewing is required to progress to CAP higher training).
Please feel free to contact Dr Gordon Wilkinson (gordon.wilkinson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk), the National CAP TPD if you are interested in the training scheme and would like to ask further questions or arrange an informal discussion
There is a mandatory research capability within the GMC approved curriculum. Trainees have 2 sessions/week (WTE) set aside to complete a structured literature review on an aspect of Child & Adolescent Mental Health and are encouraged to make significant progress with this within their ST4 year, aiming for completion into ST5. The National programme has 2 research coordinators who will help support ST4 trainees to consider a suitable project and identify an appropriate research supervisor. On completion of the research capability, trainees may continue with further research activity or chose to pursue Protected Professional Development Sessions to enhance their training portfolio. An annual research day is organised in Spring each year, during which trainees present updates on their progress of their research – this is always a popular event.
There are many research opportunities available in the 4 regions in Scotland, with strong links with their respective academic departments. Professor Helen Minnis, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Glasgow University, is based in the West region, while Professor Ian Kelleher is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh, in the South East region. There are 2 SCREDS (Scottish Clinical Research Excellence Development Scheme) posts, distributed across the South East and the West regions.
In terms of Audit, higher trainees are expected to complete two different cycles of audit or high calibre Quality Improvement Activity through the course of their training and there is active encouragement within all placements to achieve this. An Audit afternoon is convened each year during which trainees have the opportunity to present the findings of projects they have been working on.
All four regions are attached to Universities, meaning there are ample opportunities for teaching medical students, as well as participating locally in the teaching of junior doctors. There are many other opportunities for teaching in different placements, and for delivering teaching for NHS Education Scotland. Management activities are particularly encouraged within ST6 and many of the trainers have additional management responsibilities which trainees can link into.
There is a National Academic Programme that runs on 10 Mondays throughout the academic term – this is currently delivered remotely, but may move to a hybrid model of some face to face meetings in due course. There are also 10 days allocated to local teaching programmes which are currently running in the North/East, the West and the South east regions.
Experience and development of leadership and management skills is gained throughout training in clinical placements, through Protected Professional Development sessions and attendance at courses such a LaMP (Leadership and Management Program), delivered by NHS Education Scotland (NES)
Please feel free to contact Dr Gordon Wilkinson (gordon.wilkinson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk), the National CAP TPD if you are interested in the training scheme and would like to ask further questions or arrange an informal discussion
Carseview Centre, Dundee, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Dudhope House, Dundee, Forth Valley Royal Hospital - FVRH, Murray Royal Hospital, Perth, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Perth Royal Infirmary, Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital, Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, 50 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SF, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Aberdeen, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, The Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow, The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow , St Johns Hospital, Livingston, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow, Stratheden Hospital, Vale of Leven District General Hospital, Alexandria, Dr Grays Hospital, Elgin, Centre for Child Health, Dundee, Young Peoples Unit, Dundee, Rowan Centre, Elgin, Phoenix Centre, Inverness, St Leonards Bank, Perth, Kirklands Hospital, Bothwell, Lynebank Hospital, Dunfermline
Training for each Region is delivered across the following Health Board areas;
West:
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Community placements in East Glasgow CAMHS, West Glasgow CAMHS, South Glasgow CAMHS, Renfrew CAMHS, East Renfrew CAMHS.
- Specialized placements in Skye House Adolescent Inpatient Unit (Stobhill Hospital), National Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit (Royal Hospital for Children), Paediatric Liaison (Royal Hospital for Children), Forensic-CAMHS
NHS Lanarkshire
- Community placements in Camglen CAMHS, Clydesdale CAMHS, Hamilton CAMHS.
- Specialized placements in Lanarkshire LD-CAMHS
NHS Forth Valley
- Community placements in Falkirk CAMHS
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- Community placements in South Ayrshire CAMHS, Ayr; North Ayrshire CAMHS, Irvine
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
- Community placements in Dumfries CAMHS
South East:
NHS Lothian
- Community placements in North Edinburgh CAMHS, South Edinburgh CAMHS, Mid Lothian CAMHS in Penicuik and West Lothian CAMHS, St John’s Hospital, Livingston.
- Specialized placements in PPALS (Paediatric Psychology and Liaison Service), the Melville Unit (Adolescent Inpatient) - both are based at the Royal Hospital for Children & Young People; Lothian LD-CAMHS; Lothian Tier 4 day programme and CAOT (CAMHS Intensive Outreach team)
NHS Fife
- Community placements in Fife CAMHS, Playfield House, Stratheden Hospital.
- Specialized placements in Fife LD-CAMHS
NHS Borders
- Community placements in Borders CAMHS, Andrew Lang Unit, Selkirk
East:
NHS Tayside
- Community placements in Dundee Locality CAMHS Team and Angus Locality CAMHS Team, both based in Centre for Child Health in Dundee; Perth Locality CAMHS Team in St Leonard's Bank, Perth.
- Specialized placements in Dudhope Young People’s Inpatient Unit, Dundee
North:
NHS Grampian
- Community placements based in Aberdeen covering both the city and more peripheral localities across Grampian
- Specialized placements in LD-CAMHS, Unscheduled Care and Eating Disorders
NHS Highland – Community placements in Phoenix Centre, Inverness
CAMHS/Forensic Dual Post – training is delivered across:
CAMHS - Training is delivered across the following Health Board areas;
West:
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Community placements in East Glasgow CAMHS, West Glasgow CAMHS, South Glasgow CAMHS, North Glasgow CAMHS, Renfrew CAMHS, East Renfrew CAMHS.
- Specialized placements in Skye House Adolescent Inpatient Unit (Stobhill Hospital), National Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit (Royal Hospital for Children), Paediatric Liaison (Royal Hospital for Children), Forensic-CAMHS
NHS Lanarkshire
- Community placements in Camglen CAMHS, Clydesdale CAMHS, Hamilton CAMHS.
- Specialized placements in Lanarkshire LD-CAMHS
NHS Forth Valley
- Community placements in Falkirk CAMHS, Stirling CAMHS
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- Community placements in South Ayrshire CAMHS, Ayr; North Ayrshire CAMHS, Irvine
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
- Community placements in Dumfries CAMHS
Forensic - West of Scotland:
Based at Rowanbank Clinic, Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow.
Placements in medium security are available at Stobhill Hospital, hosted by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Placements in low security and community forensic psychiatry are available in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Forth Valley. Prison placements are available at HMP Barlinnie, HMP Kilmarnock, HMP Low Moss, HMP Greenock, HMP Shotts and HMYOI Polmont.
National high secure unit - The State Hospital, Carstairs, Lanark.
| Programme Type | Deanery based or National: National |
| Administration office | North of Scotland |
| Lead Dean / Director | Dr Nitin Gambhir |
| Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP) | Dr Greg Jones |
| Specialty or Sub-specialty | Specialty or Sub-specialty: Specialty |
| Date of GMC recent approval | August 2010 |
| Associated Royal College - Faculty |
Royal College of Psychiatrists (web site) |
| Curriculum and Associated Assessment System | |
| Programme Administrator: |
Named Programme Administrator:
Lynda Service
Address: NHS Education for Scotland, Forest Grove House, Aberdeen Tel: 01224 805132 Email: Lynda.Service@nhs.scot |
| Programme Director |
Programme Director Name: National TPD - Dr Gordon Wilkinson Address: National Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit Ward 4 Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow G51 4TF Tel: Email: Gordon.Wilkinson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk |
| Quality of Training | Quality Management |