Is psychiatric training improving?

All consultants in general psychiatry appointed between 1 October 1975 and 30 September 1978 were sent a questionnaire asking about their training experience in various aspects of psychiatric practice. The results showed that the standard of training in several important areas of psychiatry were generally poor, although psychiatrists who had trained at the Maudsley Hospital or in teaching hospitals had better training than those who had worked in psychiatric hospitals. As compared with the last survey made three years ago there had been some improvement, but it had been least pronounced in psychiatric hospitals. The effects of approval visits made by both the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Joint Committee of Higher Psychiatric Training would seem to be achieving results, but more attention needs to be paid to the standard of training in psychiatric hospitals and units.