Psychiatrists are medically qualified doctors specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with mental health disorders, such as:

• dementia
• depression
• bipolar disorder
• eating disorders
• schizophrenia

Psychiatric disorders can be caused by physical illnesses, and many patients with mental illness are at greater risk of physical illness. Because of this, psychiatrists are skilled in recognising mind and body symptoms to evaluate and assess risk and draw up treatment plans, which may include prescribing medication.

Types of psychiatry include:

• general adult - for patients aged 18 to 65 in inpatient and outpatient settings. Sub-specialties include liaison, substance misuse, rehabilitation psychiatry, eating disorder psychiatry and neuropsychiatry
• child and adolescent - working with children and young people up to 18 years of age who have a mental illness
• old age - specialising in psychiatric illnesses such as dementia, which are common in the 65+ age group
• forensic - psychiatric care in prisons and secure hospitals. Forensic psychiatrists can also act as expert witnesses in court trials
• psychiatry of intellectual disability - managing patients who have a learning disability.
• medical psychotherapy - providing treatment for psychiatric disorders through different forms of psychotherapy