Building a Trainee Network of Higher Trainees in Forensic Psychiatry

AIMS: It has long been recognised that psychiatry trainees face challenging and unique stressors within their working and training environment. Many of these stressors were exacerbated by changes to the working environment and training and education programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic. When elected to the role of Higher Trainee Representatives for the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry one of our key aims was to create a national network of Higher Trainees in Forensic Psychiatry to improve trainee well-being, ensure national views are represented within the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry and share educational and research opportunities. METHODS: 1. Creation of a National Forensic Trainee mailing list for the dissemination of networking, research and educational opportunities. 2. Links to the mailing list sign-up form were disseminated through a variety of avenues including local trainee ‘WhatsApp’ groups, by contacting postgraduate administration teams within appropriate NHS Trusts and appropriate social media outlets. 3. A National Forensic Trainee ‘WhatsApp’ group was established, combining several local groups. Members were encouraged to add their peers. RESULTS: Prior to May 2022, the previous Higher Trainee Representatives for the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry only had access to a mailing list of 19 local representatives. This did not cover all deaneries nationally, and several email addresses were inactive following trainee rotations. Following our campaign, we have established a mailing list of 66 interested parties which includes: 51 Higher Trainees in Forensic Psychiatry, 12 Core Psychiatry Trainees, 1 SAS doctor and 2 medical students. CONCLUSION: By establishing new routes of communication, we believe we have met our aim of creating a supportive national network of Forensic Psychiatry Trainees. The Higher Trainee Representatives of the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry now have an up-to-date mailing list that can be inherited each year by their successors. Subscribers can unsubscribe if they wish and new members can be added via sign-up links, meaning the mailing list will be able to evolve as trainees complete their clinical training and new trainees commence their training in forensic psychiatry. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a very challenging time to be a doctor in training and initially significantly limited face to face contact with peers. However, it has also opened new avenues, such as the increased familiarity with video conferencing, dismantling barriers that have previously impeded the sharing of opportunities that should be available to all trainees, wherever they are training.