Medical Psychotherapy Higher Training

The Medical Psychotherapy (MP) Higher Training in NW London is offered through dual training with General Adult (GA) Psychiatry. There are 4 full time ST4-8 MP/GA posts that enable qualification on the GMC specialist register with dual certificate of completion of training (CCT) as a Medical Psychotherapist and General Adult Psychiatrist. In addition, one ST4-8 training post from the North London Forensic Psychotherapy Scheme is attached to the scheme for the psychotherapy component of its dual training programme.

The training programme is designed to ensure that future Consultant Psychiatrists in Medical Psychotherapy/General Adult Psychiatry are well equipped for senior clinical and leadership roles. The scheme aims at a high standard of training with a psychoanalytical orientation at its core that is the major modality for all the training posts. It provides a careful balance of clinical, leadership, research and teaching experiences.  In addition to clinical opportunities of a varied nature, trainees will be expected to participate actively in teaching, supervision of medical and non-medical staff, Balint group and reflective practice facilitation. By the end of their training, not only they will be able integrate psychotherapeutic and psychiatric thinking to inform patient care in a range of settings, but they will be well placed to offer expert input on service and organisational development.

The importance of a range of models of psychotherapy in modern health care services is incorporated in the dual programme. Trainees receive substantial training in two more training modalities (cognitive behavioural therapy and systemic therapy) in line with the Royal College of Psychiatrist curriculum requirements for medical psychotherapy training.

Special Clinical Interest Sessions

There is a wide range of Special Clinical Interest (SCI) sessions available to higher trainees in the scheme including experiences of allied therapies such as MBT (mentalisation-based treatment), DBT (dialectical-behavioural therapy) and opportunities to work with particular groups of patients including young adults (18-25-year-olds). SCI use is agreed on an individualised basis between the trainee and their ES, with oversight of their TPD.

Applying for Higher Training in NW London

Applications for ST4 psychiatry training posts in England, Scotland and Wales are co-ordinated by Health Education England’s North West Local Office.

Details of recruitment process, timetables, indicative vacancies and applicant guidance can be found here: https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/st4_psy_train_rec_oview

Structure of the Training

The dual training is five years in length and the trainees usually start with three years in Medical Psychotherapy, followed by two years in General Adult Psychiatry. Training posts are provided by West London NHS Trust that includes three outpatient Psychotherapy departments (Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham and Hounslow) and the Cassel Hospital. 

The structure of the dual training in Forensic Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy includes two years in Forensic Psychiatry posts, two years in Medical psychotherapy and one year in Forensic Psychotherapy posts. The Forensic Psychotherapy posts are provided jointly by West London Trust and the Portman Clinic (Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust).

Personal Therapy

Trainees undertaking Medical Psychotherapy training undergo their own personal therapy throughout the duration of the dual training.  Personal therapy is currently partly funded by HEE.

Academic Programme

We offer a fortnightly in-house academic programme on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month that comprises a theoretical session followed by a session on clinical applications. The programme is combined with the monthly Cassel speaker’s programme on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Currently it is held remotely, but we hope to return to hosting the programme at the Cassel Hospital. Trainees are also supported to consider external psychotherapy trainings as appropriate.