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Forensic psychiatry
This page introduces the medical specialty of forensic psychiatry
Forensic psychiatry
Forensic psychiatry deals with some of the most disturbed and difficult to manage patients in psychiatric practice. Its focus is the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders, and other patients, presenting with severe mental disorder in association with significant behavioural disturbance. Treatment settings vary from high security hospitals through to medium secure units and community forensic services, as well as the opportunity to treat patients in prison settings. Knowledge of the law in relation to clinical practice is central to the work and there is regular involvement with criminal justice agencies.Forensic psychiatry is a truly multi-professional discipline where it is the norm to function as part of a clinical team which will include psychology, occupational therapy and social work colleagues as well as community forensic psychiatric nurses. Most forensic services operate from well-equipped, purpose built modern facilities. The patients are invariably fascinating, with complex, often multiple psychopathology. The range of referrals is immense, covering minor and very serious offenders, non-offenders with worrying behaviours and requests for advice from the courts, the probation service, the prison service and psychiatric colleagues.
Personal qualities should include:
- Good clinical skills with sound experience in general psychiatry
- Natural curiosity about unusual behaviour and willingness to examine it in a multi-dimensional manner
- Tolerance for difficult patients - capacity to accept - without condoning - anti-social behaviour.
- Clarity of thought and of expression, both written and oral
- Thoroughness and attention to detail
- Capacity to lead a clinical team
- Willingness to respond to emergencies and see patients at short notice
