The impact of increasing general hospital admissions on Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify changes in patients referred to CLP at a typical inner urban teaching hospital over two decades in the context of increased hospital admissions. METHOD: Multivariate analyses were conducted on data collected for all referrals to CLP at Royal Melbourne Hospital between 1998 and 2017. Analyses were conducted with reason for referral, current psychiatric contact, psychiatric diagnosis, discharge destination and follow up as dependent variables, and the year and annual hospital admissions as independent variables. RESULTS: Annual hospital admissions grew at a rate (4.6%), greater than the annual increase in beds (2.0%). Psychosis, suicide attempt, past psychiatric history and behaviour became more common reasons for referral, whilst depression and somatisation became less common. Transfers to and from mental health inpatient units increased. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing proportion of patients seen by CLP have 'acute' problems. Patients with somatisation and depression are seen less frequently. These findings indicate that CLP services need to provide timely assessment and work closely with other elements of the local mental health service in order to optimise patient flow and ensure continuity of care. Local strategies may be required to ensure an adequate breadth of experience for trainees.

Perinatal mental health: Fathers - the (mostly) forgotten parent.

INTRODUCTION: The importance of parental mental health as a determinant of infant and child outcomes is increasingly acknowledged. Yet, there is limited information regarding paternal mental health during the perinatal period. The aim of this review is to summarize existing clinical research regarding paternal mental health in the perinatal period in various contexts, and its possible impact on infant development. METHOD: An electronic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and PubMed databases. Key texts were used to cross-check for any further articles of interest. RESULTS: Men are at increased risk of mental health problems during the transition to fatherhood, as well as during the perinatal period. Paternal mental health during the perinatal period has been shown to impact on their child's emotional and behavioral development. However, research addressing the needs of fathers with mental illness and the impact of their illness on their infant and family has been limited. CONCLUSIONS: A paradigm shift is required, from a focus on women following childbirth and women with pre-existing psychiatric disorders, to a broader family perspective with the focus firmly on parent-infant relationships. This paradigm shift needs to involve greater research into the fathering role and paternal mental illness during the perinatal period, including further studies into risk factors, impact on the family system, and the most appropriate form of intervention and service provision.

Service use in consultation-liaison psychiatry: guidelines for baseline staffing.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine how referrals and clinical activity in consultation-liaison psychiatry (C-L) vary according to unit type and size, length of stay and psychiatric diagnosis, and to use these data to inform recommendations for the minimum levels of staffing required to conduct consultations in a general hospital. METHOD: Data were collected across three urban teaching hospitals over a 5-year period. The data included hospital admission data, referrals, psychiatric diagnosis, clinical contact time, clinical equivalent full time (EFT) and a measure of 'busyness'. RESULTS: Mean clinical staffing was 0.84 EFT per 100 beds. Services received a mean of 2.4 referrals per 100 hospital admissions. On average, each referral generated 3.9 contacts and a total contact time of 2.6 hours. The contact time was greater in patients with multiple psychiatric diagnoses as compared with a single or no diagnosis. CONCLUSION: In order to provide a minimum level of service for consultations to the expected range of serious and immediate psychiatric disorders present in the general hospital, a C-L service requires about 1.0 clinical EFT per 100 beds. For services to be able to address more complex elements of illness behaviour, provide education, conduct research, contribute to comprehensive care in specialist areas and undertake other liaison activities, greater and more multi-disciplinary EFT is required.

Consultation-liaison psychiatry in a maternity hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe referral patterns of maternity inpatients to the consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) service at a large women's hospital in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. METHOD: Clinicians recorded socio-demographic data, referring unit, consultee's reason for referral, psychiatric diagnosis made, and treatment provided for all maternity inpatients referred from 2004 to 2008. RESULTS: Main reasons for referral were detection of depression, past psychiatric history, and concern regarding a woman's coping. Most common diagnoses were depression, substance use disorders and anxiety disorders. Many women referred for assessment while inpatients were initially seen in the antenatal period. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women referred to a CLP service present with a range of mental health problems, most often depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Many of these problems are evident in and require intervention during the antenatal period as well as at the time of confinement. CLP services to maternity hospitals should be provided in the antenatal as well as the inpatient setting.

Reflections of a retiring examiner.

OBJECTIVE: This article is a transcript of an invited talk given to the Victorian Branch of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Psychiatrists in Training in February 2008, as part of an annual function designed to assist trainee psychiatrists as they prepare for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' clinical examination. Six points of reflection are discussed from the perspective of the examiner. The talk focuses on the Observed Clinical Interview component of the clinical examination as this is where many candidates seem to struggle to meet the required standard. CONCLUSION: While specific examination preparation is essential, breadth of clinical experience, supervision and an opportunity to think and reflect on one's learning seem to be essential elements in success at these high stakes examinations.

An outline of the planned work of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' Board of Education.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to inform College Fellows, trainees and other stakeholders about the structure, principles and functioning of the new Board of Education. CONCLUSION: The educational activities of the College are likely to evolve and to be developed over the next 5 years by a process taking account of the views of key stakeholders. In the short term, there will be no changes to training or examination processes which would disadvantage trainees.

The first year of the RANZCP Exemptions Candidates Examination.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to describe our experience of the first year of the Exemptions Candidates Examination. CONCLUSIONS: The exam has run well over the first year. Candidates who have difficulty with the exam fail to prioritize in the observed clinical interview and do not pay attention to the instructions for the observed structured clinical examinations.

Consultation-liaison psychiatrists' use of antidepressants in the physically ill.

In a practice-based, prospective study of 917 inpatients referred to a consultation-liaison psychiatry service and diagnosed as depressed, 41% were prescribed an antidepressant: 40% tricyclics, 35% selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), 15% monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)/reversible inhibitors of monoamine (RIMAs) (mainly moclobemide), and 11% tetracyclics (mianserin). Factors associated with choice of antidepressant type included age, referral for pain, length and seriousness of physical illness, type of physical illness, and concurrent antipsychotics (P < 0.01). Tetracyclics and MAOI/RIMAs were used significantly more often than tricyclics in the more severely physically ill and the elderly. The percentage of patients prescribed an antidepressant increased significantly over time, which is accounted for by the greater use of SSRIs across all age groups and degrees of seriousness of illness. There is a paucity of randomized controlled trials on which to base practice guidelines. Practice-based research such as this helps inform those guidelines.

Adverse reactions to antidepressants in consultation-liaison psychiatry inpatients.

In a practice-based, prospective study of 1,551 inpatients referred to a consultation-liaison psychiatry service and prescribed an antidepressant, an adverse drug reaction judged sufficient to warrant discontinuation of the drug was noted in 158 (10.2%). The factors associated were older age (P < 0.05); ICD-9 genitourinary disorder (mainly renal failure) (P < 0.01); DSM-IV "delirium, dementia, etc." (P < 0.05); length of stay (P < 0.001); number of visits (P < 0.001); and time spent on case (P < 0.05). Neither psychological functioning (GAF) nor physical functioning (Karnofsky ratings) were associated with a reaction, nor was multiple psychotropic drug prescription. Tricyclics were more likely than selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors to be associated with a reaction (P < 0.05). Consultation-liaison psychiatrists need to be well informed about pharmacodynamics and drug interactions in patients with physical/psychiatric comorbidity.