Schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry
BMJ 2011; 342 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c7160 (Published 05 January 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;342:c7160
- Faiz Rehman, specialty trainee year 5 in psychiatry1
- drfyzee{at}gmail.com
The schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry (SCAN) is a set of instruments, supported by manuals, that aim to measure and classify the psychopathology of the major psychiatric disorders of adult life.
SCAN has been developed by the World Health Organization over several years and is widely used, as evidenced by its translation into 35 or more languages.
To achieve robust levels of validity and reliability, SCAN is intended for use only by clinicians who have undertaken training at a World Health Organization designated SCAN training centre. There are 21 of these designated SCAN training and reference centres worldwide, five of which are in the United Kingdom. I attended the SCAN training course at the University of Leicester.
Who is it for?
The course provides important training for clinicians who are planning to do research in mental health in the near future. This course improves clinical skills and has a high level of teaching of psychopathology, so it is of considerable benefit to trainees and consultants as well as to mental health researchers at any stage of their clinical career.
Why do it?
Clinical research is commonly impaired by inconsistent assessment and documentation. SCAN offers a transculturally validated and reliable interview tool to support many types of clinical research.
Consistency in interviewing and scrupulous recording of clinical findings enhance clinical practice in all settings and at all levels of clinical training and experience.
The systematic and thorough ways of thinking engendered by the habitual use of a wide ranging clinically based assessment schedule will be of great help to any practitioner in their clinical practice.
A clinician’s ability to teach interview and assessment skills at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels will be substantially improved by attending this course because of its thorough and painstaking approach to psychopathology.
What does it involve?
SCAN training is an intense five day course. The SCAN course at Leicester is a hands-on experience with seminars, small group tutorials, role play, clinical interviews with patients, and a quiz at the end.
The course training pack, which includes the interview manual and glossary, is sent to participants a few weeks before the course starts so that they can familiarise themselves with it beforehand.
How much does it cost?
The course cost of £750 includes the training pack, refreshments, and lunch, but hotel and meal costs in the evening are extra.
Is there an exam?
There is no formal exam, but participants are assessed throughout the course and receive feedback on their performance. At the end of the course there is an assessment of the inter-rater reliability of the participants.
Was it worth it?
Yes. The skills I learnt on the course were essential for my participation in a large research project at my university centre. My clinical skills improved considerably and I have become more methodical in recording clinical information. The course was challenging but constructive and undertaken in a friendly environment.
Top tips
Read the training pack carefully before the course
Use the time during and outside the course to learn from your fellow participants about their clinical and research skills
Build a network of useful contacts for your research career
Further information
Debra Bugler, course administrator; University of Leicester, New Academic Unit, Leicester General Hospital, Gwendolen Road, Leicester LE5 4PW; Tel: 0116 258 4395; email: dkb5{at}le.ac.uk.
Footnotes
The author acknowledges the support of Jonathan Fisk, consultant psychiatrist at Airedale General Hospital, in drafting this article.
Competing interests: None declared.