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What do forensic
psychiatrists do? Forensic psychiatrists working in medium
and high secure hospitals mostly manage inpatients, although some
medium-secure forensic psychiatrist do also have a community
case load. Community forensic psychiatrists manage a mix of
inpatients and outpatients. The work of forensic
psychiatrists, as for all doctors, covers many areas
including clinical and managerial roles as well
as teaching. Forensic psychiatrists lead strong
multidisciplinary teams. Some specific aspects of the
work of forensic psychiatrists include:
- a strong focus on risk assessment.
- careful collection of in-depth information
- good documentation.
- helping patients to understand and reduce their risk.
- helping patients to understand their illness
- helping with anger control, stress management, assertiveness
training, employability
- addressing problems of substance misuse
- helping patients to understand the impact of their action on
victims
- good-quality relapse prevention plans
- careful rehabilitation back into society
- supporting carers, family and friends.
- Strong liaison with general psychiatry services and criminal
justice agencies.
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What is the difference
between a forensic psychiatrist and a forensic
psychologist? Psychologists are different to
psychiatrists. A psychologist has a degree is in psychology,
whereas a psychiatrist, who is a medical
doctor, has a degree in medicine. Justas forensic
psychiatry is a sub -peciality of psychiatry, forensic psychology
is a sub-speciality of psychology. In brief,
psychology involves scientific study of mental processes
and behaviour (e.g. cognition, emotion, perception, personality,
behaviour and interpersonal relationships). Psychologists
apply this to various spheres of life (e.g. family,
education, employment) and also to the treatment of mental health
problems.
Psychologists working with patients usually have additional
clinical training following which they are known as a 'clinical
psychologist'. Some forensic psychologists working in prisons
have not had clinical training (as they work with offenders on
offender management programs rather than working with
patients), but those working in low, medium and high secure
psychiatric units have usually had clinical training and are
therefore forensic clinical psychologists.
As a brief guide, there are some aspects of work that forensic
psychiatrists are more likely to be involved in than
forensic psychologists, these include:
- leading patient care teams
- prescribing medication
- representing patient care in mental health tribunal's
- having a broad overview of patient's problems, needs, and
treatment plan
- assessing patients for courts (fitness to plead, insanity,
diminished responsibility etc)
- undertaking risk assessments on mentally disordered people in
the community.
Forensic psychologists can more often be found in the
administration of treatment programs and individual therapy
under the leadership of a forensic psychiatrist.
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How to become a forensic
psychiatrist After leaving medical school, all doctors
spend two foundation years working in hospitals and general
practice. You would then enter a speciality training scheme in
psychiatry, and after three years choose to specialise in
forensic psychiatry.
There would then be three years specialist training before
being eligible to apply for a consultant post. If you are reading
this because you are interested in a career in forensic psychiatry,
please contact your local postgraduate medical education deanery -
you can arrange to meet your nearest training programme director in
forensic psychiatry.
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