Neuropsychiatry Conference

TARGET AUDIENCE

The BC Neuropsychiatry Program's 2009 conference is aimed at all professionals who work in mental health
and includes physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, rehabilitation, and care aides.
The content covers the difficult issue of violence and its management in clinical practice and the frequent and
perplexing somatoform disorders where psychiatric illness presents as physical disease. The conference will
also provide a bird's eye view of Neuropsychiatry, defining the patient population and whom and how to refer for
assessment and treatment in the provincial Neuropsychiatry program.

OVERVIEW

Many of the referrals received by the BC Neuropsychiatry Program (BCNP) come from hospitals and care facilities
who are struggling to cope with patients who exhibit various levels of aggression. Dr. Paul Dagg and nurse educator
Ailie Kerr from the Hillside Neuropsychiatry Unit in Kamloops will provide a platform presentation plenary session on
the management and treatment of violent behavior.

Somatoform disorders can be challenging to treat and often require consistent supportive management over the
long-term. Dr. Anton Scamvougeras from the UBC Neuropsychiatry program will provide a platform presentation
plenary session on understanding and managing somatoform disorders.

The afternoon portion of the conference is made up of two concurrent small group workshops moderated by clinicians
from the Neuropsychiatry program; one on aggression in clinical practice and the other on somatoform disorders.
Both workshops are based on a challenging relevant clinical case vignette that serves as the focus for discussion.
The afternoon program is designed so that all participants will be exposed to both workshops, with emphasizes on
participant involvement. Time permitting; participants may bring their own cases for discussion - please come prepared.

Dr. Hurwitz will provide a short plenary session defining the spectrum of Neuropsychiatric disorders and holding
mainstream psychiatry to account for seemingly abandoning these patients. The final session will be presented
by Peter Dawson, Coordinator of the BCNP, who will outline the program's referral process and admission criteria
explaining how to get your patient treated.

ACCREDITATION:

As an organization accredited to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians by the Committee
on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS), the UBC Division of Continuing Professional
Development designates this educational program as meeting the accreditation criteria of the College
of Family Physicians of Canada for up to 5.0 Mainpro-M1 credits. This program is an Accredited
Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of the
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This program has been reviewed and approved
by UBC Division of Continuing Professional Development. Each physician should claim only those credits
he/she actually spent in the activity. Up to a maximum of 5 Section 1 Credits can be claimed for full
attendance.