Designing an educational programme in mental health for general practitioners in South Africa

Abstract

Background. With the new Mental Health Care Act in use, additional demands will be placed on general practitioners to provide adequate care for mental health patients. The College of Psychiatry of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa awards a Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health (PGDipMH) to medical doctors, but there is no standardised formal tuition or curriculum available to potential candidates. Objectives. A study was undertaken to design a postgraduate programme using a six-step process to assist medical practitioners in preparing for the PGDipMH. Methods. The Delphi research method, a nomi nal group technique for developing forecasts and trends based on the collective opinion of knowledgeable experts, was used. Data, obtained by means of closed items in a questionnaire, were analysed, and the opinions and ideas of the expert respondents were used to adapt the formulated set of criteria for each subsequent round of Delphi. This process was repeated until 80% consensus or stability had been reached. After the last round, a framework and final set of criteria were compiled. Results. The preferred mode of teaching was online distance learning utilising electronic learning and limited formal learning. The content of the curriculum was based on the findings of the Delphi study experts. The programme as a complete entity contains six steps. Conclusion. Using the recommendations and findings of the Delphi panel, a comprehensive programme was developed, which shows an appreciation for the interfaces between the different role-players (the patient/so-called mental healthcare user and the doctor as learner), outcomes-based education and distance learning.

Outcome-based education in open and distance learning

“…According to Nichol, De Klerk, Nel, Van Zyl, and Hay (2014), designing an educational programme in mental health for general practitioners show that online remote learning using electronic learning and little formal learning was favored as a style of instruction. The curriculum's subject matter was determined by the experts that participated in the Delphi research.…”

The challenges of Teaching Psychiatric Emergencies in situations of natural disasters and armed conflicts

“…The organization of these services depends on the physicians' knowledge, through the teaching of psychiatry in disaster situations, so that the methods of approach, the evaluation content and implementation mechanisms are in accordance with the target population 10,11 .…”

Os desafios para o ensino de emergências de psiquiatria em desastres e conflitos armados

“…Para assegurar a assistência desta população, é necessário, por um lado, avaliar o impacto psicológico do trauma e, por outro, dar a conhecer como o sistema de saúde mental responderá nestas situações pós-desastre 9 . A organização destes serviços dependem do conhecimento que os médicos possuem, através do ensino de psiquiatria em situações de catástrofes, para que os métodos de abordagem, os conteúdos de avaliação e os mecanismos de implementação sejam de acordo com a população-alvo 10,11 .…”