Liaison psychiatry has emerged as a sub-speciality within general adult psychiatry, with specific experience and training being required to develop the skills and knowledge to address comorbid physical and psychiatric symptoms and illness (House & Creed, 1993; Lloyd, 2001). Older people often present with significant physical and psychiatric comorbidity (Ames et al, 1994; Holmes & House, 2000) and most old age psychiatry services receive one-quarter to one-third of referrals from general hospital wards (Anderson & Philpott, 1991). Despite this, there are no specific requirements for training in liaison psychiatry for old age psychiatrists at any level. The experience gained in assessing and treating general hospital referrals during basic and higher specialist training is felt to be adequate (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1998).

The Royal College of Psychiatrists' Higher Specialist Training Handbook (1998) emphasises the need for training schemes to be well organised in order to provide an environment in which training needs can be met. Training programme directors are tasked to provide “regular meetings with the trainees as a group to discuss the scheme and its placements” as well as “occasional meetings with trainers to discuss the scheme and its further development”.