Here - Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Here - Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Here - Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
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Book Reviews<br />
Psychiatry P.R.N.<br />
Principles, Reality, Next steps<br />
June 2010<br />
By Jose Jenkinson<br />
Edited by Sarah Stringer, Laurence<br />
Church, Susan Davison, Maurice<br />
Lipsedge<br />
Publisher Oxford University Press<br />
ISBN 978-0-19-956198-8<br />
Price £24.99<br />
Psychiatry PRN is a new textbook<br />
primarily aimed at medical students,<br />
which introduces the specialty in a very<br />
practical <strong>and</strong> unique way. It offers a<br />
different approach to the majority of<br />
psychiatry texts by means of focussing on<br />
the key aspects of psychiatry from a<br />
clinical point of view rather than a purely<br />
academic one, whilst covering most of<br />
the subject matter needed by<br />
undergraduates to get the most out of<br />
their placements <strong>and</strong> to equip them for<br />
the OSCEs.<br />
Part one of the book gives an overview of<br />
psychiatry, including classification,<br />
interviewing skills, safety, mental health<br />
law <strong>and</strong> the basics of assessment. Part<br />
two consists of 20 chapters which cover<br />
the major areas of psychiatry including<br />
mood disorders, schizophrenia,<br />
personality disorder, addictions <strong>and</strong> old<br />
age psychiatry. Topics are covered in 3<br />
stages, as per the title. Each chapter<br />
starts with outlining the ‘principles’ of the<br />
subject in question, followed by taking<br />
the reader through the ‘reality’ of how<br />
such patients present, by means of case<br />
histories, <strong>and</strong> practice OSCE stations.<br />
‘Next steps’ then focuses on<br />
management <strong>and</strong> specific issues relevant<br />
to the subject, eg capacity issues in<br />
relation to dementia. This pattern is<br />
followed throughout the chapters <strong>and</strong><br />
the format makes it a very easy book to<br />
dip in <strong>and</strong> out of as the need arises.<br />
The book is beautifully illustrated, with<br />
many of the pictures serving as an aide<br />
memoire for major conditions. Use of film<br />
<strong>and</strong> book quotes to illustrate topics <strong>and</strong><br />
lists of books <strong>and</strong> films alongside books<br />
<strong>and</strong> papers for further reading bring the<br />
subject alive <strong>and</strong> further increase the<br />
accessibility <strong>and</strong> subjective relevance of<br />
psychiatry in the eyes of the reader.<br />
Additional online resources are also<br />
included, with video clips of assessments,<br />
downloadable OSCE mark sheets, an<br />
MMSE outline as well as all the artwork<br />
in the book which can be downloaded<br />
for use in teaching sessions.<br />
Overall: This book is very much focussed<br />
on practical ins <strong>and</strong> outs of assessing<br />
psychiatric patients, <strong>and</strong> the importance<br />
of communication <strong>and</strong> empathy, rather<br />
than purely focussing on diagnostic<br />
categorisation, psychotropics <strong>and</strong> exam<br />
questions. As a result this is an extremely<br />
useful aide for students, <strong>and</strong> very<br />
different from other undergraduate<br />
textbooks available. Read in conjunction<br />
with one of the other weightier texts this<br />
should provide students with sound<br />
knowledge <strong>and</strong> practical ability, as well as<br />
being useful for any doctor starting their<br />
first psychiatry post or wanting to refresh<br />
their basic knowledge of the subject. It<br />
will also be highly relevant for anyone<br />
who teaches medical students as a basis<br />
for structuring teaching sessions, running<br />
practice osces <strong>and</strong> providing useful<br />
h<strong>and</strong>outs. It is fairly lightweight (<strong>and</strong> very<br />
portable) <strong>and</strong> offers good value for<br />
money given the amount of materials<br />
included in the price.<br />
Highly recommended<br />
28 <strong>Surrey</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Borders</strong> Online Journal www.sabp.nhs.uk/journal