The article by Matheson and colleagues in the July BJGP refers to the development of resilience through experience, learning from others, and training.1 I would be interested to know whether a placement in mental health during training enables professional resilience later on. I write this as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and former Director of Medical Education of a large mental health NHS trust in England where I successfully implemented posts in youth mental health teams, CAMHS, and eating disorders services. The management of uncertainty and anxiety within a multidisciplinary context and the opportunity to learn systemic skills in working with families received very positive feedback from GP trainees. Also, the opportunity to attend Balint groups for psychiatry trainees helped engender a positive and optimistic outlook on the work being done.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2016
