Management training in psychiatric practice

Extending management training for senior registrars

It is recognised that the consultants of the future will have a greater management role than those of the past. The Griffiths report (1983) regarded doctors as ‘natural managers’, although this has been challenged by some authors. They suggest that medical training, with its emphasis on the individual case and rapid decision-making (Higgins, 1989), leads to a very different perspective from the manager considering the often competing long-term needs of many individuals.

A ‘core curriculum’ for management training

It is increasingly recognised that all consultants have to undertake management responsibilities at several levels. Consultants are an expensive resource and it is therefore fundamental that they manage themselves and their time effectively. Secondly, consultants need to manage their resources, both the clinical team and the facilities available to it. Thirdly, the consultant has a strategic role in developing the service to meet the changing needs of the population served. Finally, some consultants may choose to undertake executive management roles such as clinical director or unit general manager. In these roles a broader view of overall service provision is necessary.