Psych CASC / OSCE · Forensic psychiatry — fitness and criminal responsibility
Explain fitness concerns to counsel — CASC communication station
MRCPsych/FRANZCP-style CASC: communicate a structured fitness opinion to a lawyer, separate responsibility issues, outline assessment/restoration plan, manage professional tension, maintain forensic clarity.
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Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes active time after reading. You are the psychiatry registrar providing a preliminary fitness opinion discussion with defence counsel (examiner role-player). [1]
Candidate instructions. Explain why fitness is in issue. Distinguish fitness from criminal responsibility/mental impairment. Outline what you assessed and still need. Discuss restoration possibilities without guaranteeing timelines. Stay professional under pressure to "just get on with the trial." Do not invent statute section numbers. Check understanding. [1][2][5]
References5ShowHide
- [1]Mossman D, Noffsinger SG, Ash P, et al. AAPL Practice Guideline for the forensic psychiatric evaluation of competence to stand trial J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 2007.PMID 18083992
- [2]Wall BW, Ash P, Keram E, et al. AAPL Practice Resource for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 2018.PMID 30602602
- [3]American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law AAPL Practice Guideline for forensic psychiatric evaluation of defendants raising the insanity defense J Am Acad Psychiatry Law, 2014.PMID 25492121
- [4]Cochrane RE, Laxton KL, Mulay AL, et al. Guidelines for determining restorability of competency to stand trial and recommendations for involuntary treatment J Forensic Sci, 2021.PMID 34032278
- [5]Blake GA, Ogloff JRP, Antolak-Saper N Special considerations to the assessment of fitness to stand trial in Australia Psychiatr Psychol Law, 2023.PMID 37744651