Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHSRoyal College president celebrates tuition at mental health trust
The president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists visited Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust for the first time to give a lecture on 21st century psychiatry and to welcome the new clinical tutor in psychiatry for Norwich and Norfolk.
Professor Dinesh Bhugra personally congratulated Dr Mukhtar Nasir, consultant psychiatrist at the Trust, who is taking on the clinical tutor’s role. He also thanked Dr Hugo de Waal, outgoing clinical tutor, for more than five years of hard work improving training standards for psychiatry trainees.
Dr Hugo de Waal (right) hands over the tutor’s hammer to colleague Dr Mukhtar Nasir (left) after Professor Dinesh Bhugra’s lecture.Professor Bhugra said: “The role of the clinical tutor is very important. Tutors work with other colleagues to help them learn from each other. They help maintain high standards and best practice in psychiatry. Local tutors are aware of local needs and can pass this on to trainees who are new to the area.”
Dr Nasir said: “I hope to maintain the same high standards and to help the scheme attract more trainees. I also aim to improve attendance and to expand our range of teaching, supporting learning from best-evidenced practice in medicine. Equally important is ensuring that trainees get appropriate management training as part of the course.”
The clinical tutor post is funded by the Trust for a period of five years, and is supported by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which provides training. It plays an important role in linking the College with psychiatrists at the Trust, and raises the Trust’s profile through reporting on its achievements and research in psychiatry. The clinical tutor coordinates training for postgraduate doctors in Norwich and Norfolk, and supervises specialist psychiatry training and psychotherapy. The tutor also ensures that students take part in valuable research.
Point of Interest: The ‘tutoris malleus’ (tutor’s hammer) was handed to Dr Nasir by Dr de Waal to symbolically mark the occasion. This hickory hammer has held a lightly threatening presence in training lectures – to deter students from answering mobile phones and encourage them to switch phones to silent!
