‘To see or not to see, that is the question’ – A commentary on patient Selection for the RANZCP psychotherapy written case

Abstract

Objective This paper aims to redress the shortage of published guidance for registrars on selecting suitable patients for the RANZCP Psychotherapy Written Case Summative Assessment. Conclusions This article offers a common-sense approach to patient selection using psychiatric nomenclature and organises patients into proposed categories of likely suitable, possibly suitable, and unsuitable. A flowchart tool is offered for screening patients stressing a Global Assessment of Function (GAF) and the premorbid capacity to adhere to social frames such as school, university, employment, and relationships.