Evaluating workforce needs for higher specialist training for psychiatry of intellectual disability in Kent, Surrey and Sussex: a workforce scoping service evaluation
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-10-2022-0041 |
| Published date | 02 February 2023 |
| Date | 02 February 2023 |
| Pages | 1-9 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
| Author | Raja A.S. Mukherjee,Mary Ondrusz |
Evaluating workforce needs for higher
specialist training for psychiatry
of intellectual disability in Kent,
Surrey and Sussex: a workforce
scoping service evaluation
Raja A.S. Mukherjee and Mary Ondrusz
Abstract
Purpose –Whilst recruitmentand retention of high-quality staff is vital to providinga good service, at the
time of the evaluations, Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) was the only area of the UK without a Higher
Specialist Training(HST) scheme in intellectual disability (ID). The purposeof this project was to identify
barriersto recruitment and support the needfor change.
Design/methodology/approach –This evaluation includedconducting interviews with 16 practitioners
in the regionwith links to ID to consider the gaps in trainingand find solutions.
Findings –Four themes were identified, namely, good experiences are important to recruiting people
into the ID field; badexperiences or lack of exposure to people withID are likely to prevent engagement
with this field; there is an ongoing need for specialist psychiatrists in ID services; and there is a
developing need forspecialists in neurodevelopmental disorders.Finally, the challenge means we need
to think differentlyabout developing a workforce. Seven recommendationsto support workforce delivery
in KSS were developed.
Originality/value –This paper highlightsan important rationale for ongoing needfor HST in ID work and
also reasons to engage people in this field. This has not been undertaken in the ID field in this way
previously.
Keywords Psychiatric training, Intellectual disability, Recruitment, Higherspecialist trainee,
Workforce, Training, Higher trainee, South East England
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Despite policy to improve the lives of people with intellectual disability (ID) (DOH, 2001),
there have been several high-profile reports of poor care for and abuse of people with ID
(Bubb, 2014;CQC, 2011;Mencap, 2007;CQC, 2019). Good training can lead to better
outcomes(GMC, 2017;GMC, 2018) and the Royal College of Psychiatrist has been core to
developing good practice standards for consultants in all psychiatric specialties (RCPsych,
2010;RCPsych, 2018) including the field of ID (RCPsych, 2011;RCPsych, 2015). A lack of
training posts therefore has the potential to impact recruitment and also the quality of care
being delivered (Centre for WorkforceImprovement, 2011).
Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) are three counties in South East England that have strong
links with London. Although specific prevalence figures for the number of people with ID
(Informationabout the
authorscan be found at the
end of this article.)
Received 28 October 2022
Revised 8 November 2022
Accepted 8 November 2022
The project was completed in
2019 through to early 2020 prior
to COVID 19 restrictions with
report submission to funders in
2021.
Funding: Health Education
England South East, provided
funding for this project.
Declaration of interest: Nil.
Ethical application: As a
service review full ethical
approval was not sought, but it
was registered with Surrey and
Borders Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust (SABP)
clinical governance
department.
Author contribution statement:
RM conceived the study and
obtained funding. RM and MO
completed the project and
wrote the final project report of
which this is a summary.
RM wrote this summary article
which was edited and
approved by MO.
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-10-2022-0041 VOL. 17 NO. 1 2023, pp. 1-9, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 jADVANCES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES jPAGE 1
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