Aims: Medical students often lack confidence in psychiatric history-taking and mental state examinations (MSEs) due to limited prior exposure. Informal feedback from Cambridge University students on placement at St Andrew’s Healthcare (STAH) highlighted the need for additional training in these areas.

This project aimed to improve students’ self-reported confidence levels by at least 10% in four key domains: psychiatric history-taking, performing MSEs, building rapport, and managing difficult situations.

Methods: A structured two-hour training session was implemented, utilizing Peer Support Workers (PSWs) with lived experience of psychiatric illness to provide students with practical, real-world exposure.

History-Taking and MSE Practice (First Hour)

Students (n=8–10 per session) practiced on PSWs instead of actors.

Initially, one PSW facilitated 5-minute individual interactions, but student feedback indicated this was insufficient. A second PSW was introduced, increasing interaction time to 8–10 minutes per student in subsequent sessions.

PSWs provided real-time feedback on communication, rapport-building, and questioning techniques.

Diagnosis and Management Discussion (Second Hour)

A group discussion covered differential diagnoses and treatment planning, reinforcing clinical reasoning skills.

Students’ self-reported confidence was assessed via feedback forms before and after the session across all four domains.

Results: A total of 46 students participated, with confidence levels improving significantly across all areas:

History-taking confidence increased by 46.7%, and MSE confidence rose by 27.8%.

The greatest improvements were seen in rapport-building (+47.0%) and managing difficult situations (+68.7%), highlighting the effectiveness of peer-led sessions.

Cohort Comparison:

Group 1 (single PSW, 5-minute interactions) showed moderate confidence improvements, with a 43.5% increase in history-taking and 43.1% in rapport-building, but only a 20.6% gain in MSE confidence.

Group 2 (two PSWs, 8–10 minute interactions) experienced greater confidence gains, particularly in history-taking (+50.1%), MSE (+35.1%), and managing difficult situations (+74.9%).

Additionally, 96% of students rated the session highly relevant (≥4/5), reinforcing the value of integrating lived experience into medical education.

Conclusion: This study highlights that practicing psychiatric assessments with Peer Support Workers (PSWs) significantly enhances medical students’ confidence, particularly in communication and handling complex patient interactions. Longer interactions with multiple PSWs led to greater improvements, emphasizing the importance of structured practice and immediate feedback. Expanding this model could strengthen psychiatric education and improve patient-centred care by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world clinical skills.

Aims: Community meetings in inpatient psychiatric settings provide a structured opportunity for patients and staff to discuss ward updates, raise concerns, and plan for the upcoming week. These meetings, often chaired by patients, are integral to promoting engagement and empowerment.

This study aimed to analyse and compare staff attendance patterns, patient participation, and issue resolution trends in Fairbairn Ward (Men’s Mental Health – Deaf Service) and Rose Ward (Male Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service) at St Andrew’s Hospital. The goal was to identify differences in engagement across professional roles and propose strategies to improve the effectiveness of community meetings.

Methods: Data was collected from weekly community meeting logs over a three-month period. Staff participants were categorized into clinical staff, administrative staff, healthcare assistants (HCAs), psychologists, social workers, and trainees. Attendance rates were analysed to identify which staff groups participated most frequently and how their involvement influenced issue resolution.

Fairbairn Ward caters to deaf or hearing-impaired men with complex psychiatric needs. Many staff and patients are trained in British Sign Language (BSL) to facilitate communication.

Rose Ward (male brain injury rehabilitation service) provides specialist forensic neuropsychiatric care for individuals with acquired brain injuries, dementia, stroke, or neurodegenerative conditions.

Results: Fairbairn Ward: 6.6 patients per meeting (38.8% of inpatients), patient-to-staff ratio: 0.509.

Highest staff participation: Healthcare Assistants (10 meetings), BSL Interpreters (7).

Lowest staff participation: Social Workers, Administrative Staff (1–2 meetings).

Rose Ward: 6.3 patients per meeting (39.5% of inpatients), patient-to-staff ratio: 0.959.

Highest staff participation: Clinical Administrators, HCAs.

Lowest staff participation: Assistant Psychologists.

Key Findings: Fairbairn Ward had lower administrative and senior clinical engagement, limiting issue resolution. Rose Ward had higher patient-to-staff ratios but lacked psychologist/psychiatrist involvement, impacting therapeutic discussions.

Conclusion: To improve meeting effectiveness, we recommend:

Increasing administrative and senior clinician participation to enhance issue resolution.

Enhancing follow-up mechanisms for patient concerns.

Encouraging multi-disciplinary engagement, especially in specialist wards with complex needs.

By optimizing staff attendance and patient engagement, community meetings can be strengthened as a tool for inpatient empowerment and collaborative care.