A delicate landing

One of the longest serving inpatient psychiatrists in New Zealand has left our unit to start working in the forensic psychiatry inpatient services. For health reasons. We are still to appoint a replacement, and the locum who will cover, until a new appointee starts, is two weeks away. In the meantime the three of us in the general wards have assumed extra responsibility. 

Saw one of them today, and I feel sad that his bipolar illness has left him as disabled as he is. Without reviewing thirty years of notes, which I didn’t have time to do today (and probably won’t) I can’t determine if it could have been prevented.

Able to follow my assessment interview with an impromptu teaching session for the registrar and a medical student. Such opportunities are sadly rare, and I feel energised and positive afterwards.

Back north to Snells Beach, and a jog to the mudflats where white-faced herons dominated the numbers, and I got my blip.