Interview

Dr Waring, a recently retired psychiatrist, interviewed by Richard Muirhead

“In August 2007 I conducted an interview by means of a postal questionnaire with Dr. Waring. This is the complete interview below:

Richard: How did you first become involved in psychiatry?

Dr Waring: I was always interested in the subject since being quite young at secondary school but at that time I didn`t recognize it as medical psychiatry. I knew I wanted to do something involved with psychology and brain science.

Richard: What has been the most challenging experience in your life as a psychiatrist?

Dr Waring: I don`t think there has been one, but trying to practice in a self-reflective way, keeping the patients interests at heart, is it, I think.

Richard: Do you support drug administration or talking therapies within psychiatry?

Dr Waring: Both; I don`t see them as mutually exclusive. The use of medicine will depend upon several factors: How unwell the patient is, the patient's wishes, the type of symptoms present.

Richard: What changes do you anticipate in psychiatry over the next 10 years?

Dr Waring: There will be a further development in the understanding of how emotional experiences/thoughts are represented chemically. This will lead to many ethical issues of the interaction of chemistry and self determination and may lead to many challenging legal issues.

Richard: What advice would you give to a newly qualified psychiatrist?

Dr Waring: Keep the patients' interests at heart, keep listening, don`t fall foul of `fashions`