Dear colleagues

Our College is growing and so is our conference. Both depend on the spirit of volunteerism of our members. Much of the planning, organisation and inspiration of the conference has been achieved by members in their own time. I would especially like to thank the conference academic committee, who guided me and tolerated crackly teleconference lines!

My wish for the conference is that the spirit of volunteerism begins to see rewards from the College. I hope the programme will help us work towards a greater understanding of where we are as a profession, and in turn, enhance the College’s ability to advocate on our behalf and our patients. As at all conferences, there is informal networking. Hopefully this will develop into a formal network with the ability to use the conference and College structures to achieve what psychiatry in Ireland needs to be excellent.

In the future, I would like to continue a number of themes, particularly through the parallel sessions. Professional Competence for a while now has been a permanent slot. I’m hoping that Ethics, Law and a session on how to support our own mental health will also be regular topics on the programme. The poster exhibition is another fixed slot which I think works well as an opportunity to showcase and explore psychiatry beyond service provision. There has been discussion about changing the format of the poster display and I’d welcome any suggestions.

I’d like to welcome our speakers from outside Ireland and thank all our speakers and chairs. Again, this conference would not be possible without your spirit of volunteerism.

Please don’t forget the social side of the conference. There is our very popular conference dinner, and I’m sure a hearty performance from the College Choir on Thursday evening. I’d like to invite everyone to also attend the CSCST Graduation and Examination Award Ceremony to welcome the future members of our growing College.

With best wishes for a most successful event.

Dr William Flannery
Vice President and Conference Academic Coordinator

THE RELEVENCE OF BALINT GROUPS FOR DOCTORS IN THEIR DAY TO DAY CLINICAL WORK
DR GEAROID FITZGERALD, LEEDS PARTNERSHIP NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

In this presentation, Dr Fitzgerald will describe the emotional and attitudinal capacities doctors can develop from being in a Balint Group. He will demonstrate how the structure of the group and the stance of the leader can facilitate this development.

As organised by the Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy

ADVANCES IN PSYCHOSIS RESEARCH PSYCHOSIS AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE: LESSONS FROM THE CONFLICT IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Dr CIARAN MULHOLLAND, QUEENS UNIVERSITY BELFAST

There is increasing awareness that psychotic conditions such as Schizophrenia are far from impervious to the impact of the social environment. Despite this, the role of conflict and war in the aetiology and course of psychotic illness has not been examined in detail to date. A number of related studies which explore how experiences of childhood trauma, including traumas resulting from Northern Ireland’s “Troubles”, impact on first episode psychosis, will be presented.

DIFFICULTIES WITH SOCIAL COGNITION IN PSYCHOSIS: CAUSES, CONSEQUENCES & TREATMENTS
PROF GARY DONOHOE, NUIG

Deficits in cognition are often more strongly predictive of disability than clinical symptoms alone. This talk will focus on deficits in social cognition as of particular relevance to understanding disability. Causes of social cognitive deficits – both genetic and environmental will be discussed, along with recent successes in improving cognitive function using low support treatment capable of being incorporated in standard clinical care.

As organised by the Faculty of Academic Psychiatry

MORAL DIMENSIONS OF ADDICTION
DR PIERS BENN, HEYTHROP COLLEGE, LONDON

t is widely thought that addiction, whether to substance use or other activities, is a disease. But there is increasing opposition to this notion. Dr Benn will explore the concept of addiction, highlighting the ways in which it both does, and does not resemble a disease and suggest that the concepts of control and choice are sometimes too readily abandoned. For this reason, he shall cast a sceptical eye on the claims made for many treatment programmes.

As organised by the Human Rights & Ethics Committee and the Faculty of General Adult Psychiatry