Psychiatry

Information about Department of Psychiatry

The Government Kilpauk Medical College was started in the year 1925. It is approved by the Medical Council of India to admit 150 undergraduate students every year now. The teaching hospital caters to a large segment of the population of south and central Chennai and adjoining areas. The psychiatry department was established in the year 1963 and was expanded in 2009 with the construction of an independent 3 floor building. The department offers postgraduate training since 2013 and is now permitted to admit 4 postgraduates per year for the MD course in psychiatry. The General Hospital Psychiatric Unit setup provides to the postgraduate trainees a broad exposure to all aspects of psychiatric training including addiction, emergency and liaison care. Undergraduate students are trained in psychiatry in accordance with current Competency Based Medical Education norms.

The psychiatry department provides daily outpatient and inpatient services. The department is organised as a single teaching unit with a 40 bedded inpatient ward which includes a High Dependency Unit (Psychiatry HDU) with dedicated support staff. The outpatient service caters to about 20 to 25 new patients every day in addition to about 100 old patients who come for review. Admissions are made every day after initial registration and evaluation in the outpatient section. The department offers round the clock liaison services in coordination with the other clinical departments. The department provides psychiatric assessment and supportive therapy services for patients being treated after attempted suicide and self-harm, who are referred after management in the Emergency care TAEI ward.

In addition to regular psychiatric care, an independent deaddiction programme for alcohol and other substance users is conducted by the department through a separate alcohol deaddiction clinic which functions every Thursday. Family Counselling and Education Clinic for caregivers of patients which is conducted every Saturday. Other facilities available include psycho diagnostic assessment, psychotherapy, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) and bio-feedback therapy. Speciality Clinics for are conducted on specific days.

Existing outdoor facilities (Out Patient Block):-

At present, the new psychiatry block accommodates, the out patient section, in-patient section and De-addiction section.

Existing Indoor facilities (Inpatient Block):-

Bed Strength

Department Activities

Special Clinics

Types of Therapies Given

	Pharmacotherapy
	Psychotherapy
Supportive Psychotherapy Interpersonal Therapy Group Therapy
	Behavior Therapy
	Cognitive Behavior Therapy
	Assertiveness Training
	Relaxation Therapy
	Self Hypnosis
	Meditation
	Electro Convulsive Therapy
	Narco Analysis
	Family Therapy
	Individual Counseling
	Marital Counseling
	Coping Skills Development
	Life Skill Education

Academic Activities - Routine

	Post graduate students in Psychiatry, General Medicine, Pediatric Medicine, and obstetrics and Gynecology are imparted training.
	Post graduate students from Institute of Mental Health (IMH) are imparted training in General hospital Psychiatry and Liaison Psychiatry.
	Compulsory Rotatory Resident Internees (CRRI) regularly undergo training.
	Undergraduate students in Medicine are given lectures on psychiatry and they are imparted training in clinical psychiatry Teachings for Undergraduate students include Theory classes (20 classes- one hour each) and Bedside Clinics every day for one month.
	Paramedical students (nursing students) are given training in psychiatric nursing and are also given lectures on psychiatry. Teaching for Nursing students doing Diploma in Nursing includes theory classes (30 classes - 1 hour each) and clinical training in Psychiatric Nursing.

The topics covered are

	History of Psychiatry
	Symptoms and Signs of Psychiatric Disorders
	Classifications of Psychiatric Disorders
	Psychoses
	Neuroses
	Mood Disorders
	Somatoform Disorders
	Sleep Disorders
	Personality Disorders
	Sexual Dysfunctions
	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
	Geriatric Psychiatry
	Women and Psychiatry
	Alcohol and Substance misuse psychiatry
	Forensic Psychiatry
	Community Psychiatry
	Pharmacotherapy
	Psychotherapies
	Behavior Therapies
	Electroconvulsive Therapy
	Relaxation Therapy
	Other Therapies

Academic activities & Training Programs – in 2008 -09

1. The following CME programs have been conducted

	Over view of Psychiatric disorders - 9.4.2009 - Dr.S.Rajarathinam
	Over view of common mental disorders – 16.4.2009 – Dr.M.S.Jagadeesan
	Over view of severe mental illnesses – 23.4.2009 – Dr.R.Saravanajothi
	Over view of alcohol and substance misuse - 28.4.2009 – Dr.A.P.Mythili
	Mood disturbance and ageing - 29.8.2008 – Dr.S.Rajarathinam

2. Symposia

Psychiatric aspects of alcoholism - 24.12.2008

3. International day against Substance abuse and Illicit Trafficking has been celebrated on 26.6.2009

   Symposia : Do drugs control your life and your society –Dr.R.saravanajothi.

4. World Mental Health day has been celebrated on 27.10.2009

5. Symposia on various Topics in Psychiatry have been conducted and presented by CRRI posted in Department of Psychiatry
The Topic covered are

	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Schizophrenia
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Mood Disorder
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Gad
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Stress Related Disorders
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychiatric Disturbances In Women
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychiatric Disturbances In Old Age
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychiatric Disturbances In Children & Adolescents
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Alcoholism And Substance Misuse
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychiatric Disturbances Secondary To general medical conditions, alcohol and substance misuse and neurological disorders
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychosexual Dysfunction
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Psychiatric Emergencies
	Clinical Evaluation & Management Of Alcoholism And Substance Misuse

6. Inauguration of Alcoholics Anonymous Programme on 28.4.2009

7. Training programme for doctors doing certificate course on diabetology – lecture on psychiatric aspects of diabetics – DR.S.Rajarathinam.

8. Under NRHM programme specility clinic in psychiatry at urban health centre at paadi has been started on September 2009 and one psychiatrist from KMC Hospital attends the O.P department on every Friday.

9. Psychiatric councelling on management of stress related problems and prevention and management of alcoholism and drug abuse has been given to 24 accident prone drivers of State Express Transport Corporation on 26.11.2009.

10. Psychiatric councelling on management of stress related problems and prevention and management of alcoholism and drug abuse has been given to a batch of drivers of State Express Transport Corporation on 7.1.2010.

11. A new psychiatric block with inpatient and out patient facilities has been inaugurated on 16.2.2009 by the Hon’ble Mr. M.R.K.Paneer selvam and special address was given by Principal Secretary,Health and family welfare department MR.V.K. Subburaj.I.A.S., a book on mental disorders in tamil language, in the form of questions and answers, written by Professor of Psychiatry Dr.S.Rajarathinam was released by Honble minister on the same day.

12. World mental health day - (October 10) has been celebrated on 27.10.2009 and self – help group called ( THAIANBU) for the family members of Schizophrenia has been started on this day and a book on Schizophrenia in the form of question and answers in tamil language, written by Dr.S.Rajarathinam has been released.

13. Screening of Transgenders in Madras District has been conducted on 17 & 18th of august 2009 by a panel of doctors

	Dr. Raja maheswari Prof & HoD of Uro Gynaecology,Kasthuriba Gandhi Hospital for women and children Ch – 5.
	DR. Jayaraman Prof &HoD of Plastic Surgery, KMC Hospital, Ch -10.
	DR. S.Rajarathinam Prof & HoD Department of Psychiatry, Kmch, Ch-10.

14. under district mental health programme (dmhp) (24.8.2009 - 3.10.2009) ((3 batches for == 2 weeks each )) medical officers working in primary health centres taluk head quarters and district head quarters hospital of kanchipuram have been given training on recognition , identification and management, severe mental, alcoholism and substance misuse.

Ongoing Development activities:-

	Under National Mental Health program, a separate Psychiatric Block with all facilities including an OP block and a ward with Bed strength of 30 was constructed and completed in 2009 and functional since September 2009. Government of India had sanctioned Rs.50 Lakhs for this purpose.
	Government of India had sanctioned Rs.8 Lakhs for the construction of De-addiction ward, for the management of alcohol and substance misuse. It was constructed above the psychiatric block in the second floor and it has bed strength 10 beds with male ward containing 7 patients and female ward accommodating 3 patients.
	Almost all the equipments as stipulated by the MCI has been procured and are put in to use. The Government of Tamilnadu has provided all the latest equipments required for the evaluation and management of patients with various psychiatric problems and problems due to Alcohol and Substance misuse. They include the following.
Psychometric equipments – to access a persons Personality ,Intelligence conflicts, stresses and organic pathology Computerized Bio – Feed back Digital EEG machine Digital ECG machine Computerized Digital Brief Pulse ECT machine Sine Wave ECT machine Multi behavior therapy kit Alcohol breath analyzer For the Evaluation and management of the patients suffering from various Psychiatric disorders like anxiety disorders, mood disorders, sexual problems, personality disorders, psychoses, and alcohol and substance misuse disorders.
	Proposals have been sent to government to get the required posts (Medical and Paramedical staffs –Associate professor, Social workers, Clinical Psychologist, Staff Nurses, Male nurse assistant, Female nursing assistant, EEG technician Watchman) sanctioned and fill up the vacancies in Staff position so that the Staff pattern conforms to MCI norms.
	After the requests had been made to make available the newer drugs(Olanzapine, Risperidone, Sertraline, Fluoxetine, Lorazapem, Clonazapem, Clobazam, Inj.Flufphenazine,Inj Lorazapem) so that the patients have access to latest, newer therapeutic regime which have high safety profile, TNMSC approved for the same.
	Considering the millions of people suffering from various mental illnesses in Tamilnadu and the inadequate number of psychiatrists, In addition to the efforts being taken to improve the infrastructure, Staff strength and Equipments of the Department, Ground work is being done to start PG courses in Psychiatry (MD - Psychiatry & DNB - Psychiatry). a proposal to start a Post Graduate course in psychiatry , at kilpauk medical college hospital, has been sent.
	Department library is being developed as part of improvement activities. New and latest Books are being purchased both for Central Library as well as Departmental Library. The journal named “INDIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY” is subscribed for the Central library.
	NGOs are being contacted and their services are being utilized for the improvement of Department as well as its services.
	Research activities are given importance and research on Para suicide among Urban population and Prevalence of Psychiatric Illness among Diabetic patients are being carried out.
	The following Special Clinics are also conducted by this Department to provide Comprehensive Mental Health Care and Psychiatric care in Special circumstances.
Child guidance Clinic Adolescence Clinic Geriatric Clinic Sexual Counseling Clinic Suicide Prevention Clinic De-addiction Clinic Family counseling Marital counseling To sum up, in tune with present circumstances, needs and rising demands, the Department of Psychiatry is undertaking all steps to improve the Quality of Academic activities, Research activities and Clinical Services.