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Psychiatry is a large medical field concerned with the mind, human behaviour, harm reduction, and health and well-being. It involves assessment, management and treatment of psychiatric conditions – including psychiatric emergencies and acute conditions, as well as comorbid and chronic psychiatric conditions. It is underpinned by knowledge of internal medicine and the neurosciences, including neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and genetics and inheritance. It looks at the epidemiology, aetiology, and phenomenology of different psychiatric disorders, including their symptoms and comorbidities. It uses a range of assessment techniques, including interviewing, mental state examination, and classification, which help guide diagnosis and treatment. Treatments in psychiatry span across the social, biological, and psychological domains. Social psychiatry involves principals of recovery philosophy, awareness of stigma and psychosocial contexts, improvement of health literacy and public education, and facilitation of social support and other non-medical support services, such as counselling or group therapy. Biological treatments involve psychopharmacology prescription and management, while psychological treatments include interventions and therapies such as cognitive-behavioural therapy. Psychiatry studies basic psychology, human development, ethics, patient and carer empowerment, legislation related to mental health, and statistic and research - including critical analysis. It is a large field and is divided into the following medical specialties: General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry of Learning Disability, Old Age Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy. Some of these specialties can be studied together, while General Psychiatry also includes the sub-specialties of Addiction psychiatry, Rehabilitation psychiatry and Liaison psychiatry. Psychiatric care is provided by multi-disciplinary teams of medical specialists, nurses, and community and support staff. Services are provided in hospitals, in both inpatient and outpatient settings, and in private and community clinics and institutions, including prisons and nursing homes.

Psychiatry Jobs

Psychiatrists listen to and provide expert care for vulnerable people and their families. They seek to prevent, diagnose, manage, and treat mental health, addiction, and psychiatric conditions. They undertake interviewing and assessments to diagnose psychiatric disorders and other mental health conditions that affect behaviour, mood and development. They create treatment plans which reflect the medical and psychosocial needs of their patients, and incorporate a range of social, biological and psychological interventions, therapies and treatments. Psychiatrists lead teams of other doctors and health professionals, and support staff. They conduct research and critical analysis, and provide expert opinion to the community, government and courts. Psychiatrists practice in clinical and acute settings, as well as independently in outpatient settings. They can prescribe and administer antipsychotic medication and provide psychoeducation to patients and their family and/or carers. They connect their patients to other integrated health, allied health, mental health, social and well-being services. To pursue a career in this field, doctors complete foundation and core training, followed by training in either General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry of Learning Disability, Old Age Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, or Medical Psychotherapy (or a combination of these leading to a dual CCT). They can also sub-specialise in either Addiction psychiatry, Rehabilitation psychiatry and Liaison psychiatry, as part of General Psychiatry training. Training takes approximately 3-6 years and leads to a CCT and specialty registration with the GMC.

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Registrars who work in Psychiatry posts are undertaking specialised advanced training in General Psychiatry, or a Psychiatry specialty or sub-specialty, and its clinical practice. They work under specialist Psychiatrists and gain valuable work experience in the practice of Psychiatry, developing competencies and clinical expertise relevant to their field.

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Nurses (Psych, Mental Health) work directly with patients who have psychiatric disorders, mental health disorders and/or addiction to alcohol and drugs. They often work with people who have behavioural challenges. Nurses provide behavioural therapy, education and counselling, administer medications, and follow patient management plans. They help care for patients with both chronic and acute conditions, and connect people to other well-being, allied health and social services. They work in multidisciplinary teams in hospitals, clinics, prisons, and community settings.

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