Evaluation of doctors’ experience of psychodynamic psychotherapy training at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Developing psychotherapeutic competencies is an essential part of psychiatric training. All Core Trainees at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) saw a patient for psychodynamic psychotherapy until 2020. Due to the pandemic, all face-to-face appointments at the LYPFT Medical Psychotherapy Service were paused from March 2020. Patients could choose whether to continue therapy remotely or defer therapy. Supervision was also moved to a remote format. Face-to-face therapy sessions resumed from August 2020, with new infection control procedures. This project aimed to establish doctors’ experience of training in delivering psychodynamic psychotherapy at LYPFT during the pandemic. A two-step methodology was used: an online survey including qualitative and quantitative analysis of the impact of the pandemic; and semi-structured interviews with thematic analysis. The online survey had a response rate of 68%. Four patients deferred therapy; the mean deferral length was two months. Ten respondents had sessions cancelled due to infection/self-isolation. Thirteen respondents (commencing therapy pre-pandemic) delivered therapy face-to-face (without personal protective equipment [PPE]). During the pandemic five respondents delivered therapy via phone, six face-to-face with PPE. Thirteen were concerned about attaining psychotherapy competencies. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified three main themes (with subthemes). Challenges of delivering therapy during the pandemic were identified, as well as areas of good practice and opportunities.