International Visiting Programmes/clinical observership

Maudsley Learning is proud to run a range of comprehensive clinical visiting and observer programmes. We are part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) which is based in London, England, and can trace its history back 800 years.

South London and Maudsley

NHS Foundation Trust. London

One of the UK's largest mental health providers, serving 1.3 million individuals with over 260 services. Dedicated to excellence and provide nationwide care for children and adults.

Visit the website

Globally Known for:

• All adult mental health disorders, including all psychosis, mood, and anxiety disorders. • Child and adolescent mental health. • Older adult mental health. • Eating disorders. • Perinatal services. • Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. • Integrating mental and physical health

Key Facts:

• One of the largest research units for mental health globally. • Twinned with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, KCL, as one of the largest research units for mental health globally. • The UK's only Biomedical Research Centre for mental health. • The largest psychiatry training program in Europe. • An 800-year history as Europe's oldest mental health hospital, the Royal Bethlem. • A global training and consulting venture: Maudsley Learning.

International Clinical Observership Programme tailored for psychiatrists and psychiatrists-in-training. As an integral part of the esteemed South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which comprises renowned facilities such as the Maudsley Hospital, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Lambeth Hospital, and liaison psychiatry services at leading hospitals like King’s College Hospital and Guy’s Hospital, we proudly hold the distinction of being the largest mental health training institution in the UK.

Recognised for our exceptional standards in mental healthcare and research, we collaborate closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neurosciences (IOPPN) at King's College London. Serving a local population of 1.3 million in south London, our comprehensive services extend to providing inpatient care for over 5000 individuals annually and catering to more than 40,000 community patients. Moreover, we offer national specialist services for children and adults across the UK and beyond. Through our esteemed Maudsley Training Programme, we facilitate clinical training opportunities for 120 psychiatry residents and collaborate with various universities to provide clinical placements for nursing and psychology students. The International Clinical Observership Programme offers overseas clinicians the chance to observe clinical practice, participate in research activities, and engage in educational events, with opportunities for rotations through different services, subject to availability.

With the largest psychiatry training programme in Europe and the widest array of mental health services in the country, we serve as an ideal destination for experiencing and learning about mental health services, research, and training. Operating three prominent psychiatric hospitals—Bethlem Royal Hospital, Lambeth Hospital, and the Maudsley Hospital—alongside numerous services across 74 community sites with 300 clinical teams, SLaM annually provides hospital treatment for about 5,000 individuals and community services for approximately 45,000 people. Our overarching mission is to continuously enhance the lives of the people and communities we serve while advocating for mental health and well-being at the local, national, and international levels.

Successful applicants will have the chance to attend a wide range of other events in conjunction with our partners in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London.

The IoPPN has grown in the last 100 years from the Maudsley Hospital’s medical school to one of the largest and most prestigious mental health research units in the world today. As such other opportunities can include:

  • Attending scheduled in-house training
  • Regular high quality seminars
  • The weekly Maudsley Grand Round
  • Access to high quality psychiatry libraries
  • Simulation training delivered by Maudsley Learning
  • Regular Q&A and support sessions for visitors on larger scale programmes

A full list of services can be found on the SLaM website but placements can include:

  • Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
  • Older adult and dementia services
  • General adult in patient service
  • Outpatient and community teams
  • Home treatment and crisis teams
  • Forensic psychiatry
  • Perinatal services
  • Autism and learning disability services
  • Neuropsychiatry
  • Affective disorder or psychosis services
  • Eating disorders
  • Addictions
  • Psychological medicine and liaison psychiatry services
  • Maudsley Learning education teams

Strengthening international relationships and promoting exchange of healthcare professionals are very important for us. In a placement you will get to experience a range of clinical experiences such as:

  • Wards rounds
  • Attending multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings
  • Clinic consultations and assessments
  • Emergency crisis work
  • Therapeutic treatment programmes
  • Meet and work with a range of doctors, nurses and other professionals.

Options

Our visiting programmes can last from 1–12 weeks for individuals or for institutions seeking to send larger numbers of staff. For more information on the duration, location and fees for our international visiting programmes please contact maudsleylearning@slam.nhs.uk