Anusha Himali Gunarathne

Completing a comprehensive one-month clinical observership in Psychiatry under the supervision of four Consultant Psychiatrists, started from first of June 2026, gaining exposure to a broad range of mental health services across the NHS. Rotations included the A&E Liaison Psychiatry Team, Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Wards, Urgent Care Services, and Outpatient Psychiatry Clinics, providing insight into the full spectrum of clinical psychiatric practice in the UK healthcare system.

Key learning and experience gaining:

-Developed a strong understanding of NHS structure, multidisciplinary team working, safeguarding , leagal aspects and patient care pathways.
-Observed psychiatric assessments, mental state examinations, risk assessments, diagnostic formulation, and management planning across diverse clinical settings.
-Gained practical knowledge of the Mental Health Act, safeguarding procedures, and legal/ethical aspects of psychiatric practice.
-Observed the management of psychiatric and coexisting medical conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
-Familiarised with NHS clinical documentation standards, electronic patient records, and professional record-keeping practices.
-Participated in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, case discussions, ward rounds, referrals, and consultant-led clinics.
-Attended teaching sessions, audit activities, clinical presentations, and service improvement discussions.
-Enhanced understanding of leadership, communication, teamwork, and professional responsibilities expected of NHS doctors.
-Gained valuable insight into the role and expectations of a doctor within the NHS, strengthening readiness to commence clinical practice in the UK healthcare system.

• Venepuncture and Phlebotomy - works in Beaconsfield GP Surgery.
• Demonstrated competency in using the EMIS system within the NHS, including accurate patient data management, appointment scheduling and supporting healthcare professionals in delivering efficient, safe, and effective care.
• Continuous career development training online in Blue stream.

• Supported residents with complex mental health needs, including schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorders, autism, learning difficulties, and unstable personality disorders, to maintain mental and physical health and enhance daily living skills.
• Completed continuous, updated, and CQC-approved mental health training, both online and in-person, through Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, St John Ambulance Service, and White Leaf Support Ltd to meet service requirements.
• Participated in mental health review meetings and discussions, facilitating awareness programmes with patients and their families to promote understanding and support.

• First on-call Medical Officer among a team of seven doctors in a 40-bed oncology care centre in the North Western Province (catchment population ~1.8 million).
• Work within a multidisciplinary team providing acute care management, chemotherapy and iodine therapy under Consultant supervision, supportive care, palliative care, pain management, and rehabilitation services.
• Assess and review patients in inpatient wards as required.
• Manage post-chemotherapy complications including neutropenia, sepsis, tumour lysis syndrome.
• Manage post-radiotherapy complications.
• Perform clinical procedures including pleural aspirations, peritoneal aspirations, intrathecal drug administration, intercostal (IC) tube insertions, and other indicated procedures.
• Write, read, and respond to patient referral letters.
• Prepare police, coroner, legal, and related medical reports.
• Provide pain management and end-of-life care.
• Offer counselling and psychotherapy when needed.
• Conduct nutritional assessments and develop improvement plans.
• Arrange and participate in discussions of management plans with the medical team.
• Engage in community health promotion activities.
• Identify specific patient problems and refer for specialized care when appropriate.
• Communicate with laboratories, hospitals, and general practitioners.
• Deliver weekly multidisciplinary team (MDT) presentations.
• Teach medical and nursing students.
• Perform minor surgical procedures.

• Performed tracheostomy and removal of foreign bodies in ENT.
• Sutured facial cuts and lacerations.
• Conducted microscopic examinations and ear wax/foreign body removal.
• Assisted in major ENT surgeries.
• Provided care for medical, surgical, and pediatric ENT patients.
• Participated in MDT meetings and case presentations.
• Taught medical and nursing students.

• Completed an 18-month full-time, competitively selected, in-service postgraduate training programme designed to strengthen primary care and general practice.
• Undertook multidisciplinary postgraduate clinical training in Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Emergency Medicine, Orthopaedics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Oncology, and Community/Public Health through supervised rotations in major teaching hospitals.
• Participated in structured academic activities including lectures, seminars, workshops, and supervised GP placements under consultant supervision.
• Developed competencies in comprehensive primary care management, preventive medicine, chronic disease management, minor procedures, emergency primary care stabilisation, and patient-centred continuity of care.

• Worked as a first on-call medical officer (with four other medical officers) in a 36-bed acute general psychiatry unit, providing inpatient psychiatric and medical care, including management of psychiatric and medical emergencies and participation in ECT services.
• Conducted comprehensive psychiatric, developmental, and risk assessments for adults, children, and adolescents, including safeguarding evaluations and crisis assessments.
• Actively involved in general adult Psychiatry including emergency, acute and chronic psychiatry patient management under supervision of consultants.
• Worked as an active member of the multidisciplinary team, collaborating with consultants, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists, and rehabilitation teams.
• Contributed to multidisciplinary case formulation and individualised treatment planning, including pharmacological treatment, behavioural interventions, family-based care, and rehabilitation planning.
• Ran regular outpatient clinics (general adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, alcohol and drug services and old age psychiatry including Dementia) and provided follow-up care for referred patients under supervision of consultants.
• Delivered counselling, psychotherapy (including CBT-based approaches), psychoeducation, and family interventions, including family meetings and therapy sessions.
• Provided liaison psychiatry services to Forensic psychiatry and other specialties (medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology, ENT, ophthalmology) under supervision of consultants.
• Conducted home visits, depot medication administration, and community follow-up to ensure continuity of care and rehabilitation support.
• Organised and participated in suicide-prevention clinics, alcohol and drug rehabilitation programmes, and community mental health awareness activities for schools, teachers, and local organisations.
• Liaised with local authorities, child protection services, police, governmental and non-governmental organisations to ensure safeguarding and social support for vulnerable patients.
• Participated in teaching activities for medical students and nursing staff, weekly MDT meetings, journal clubs, and continuous professional development programs.

• Provided inpatient and outpatient clinical care for patients with gastrointestinal disorders including liver, pancreatic, and intestinal diseases.
• Conducted patient assessments, clinical examinations, and developed evidence-based management plans under consultant supervision.
• Assisted in gastroenterology procedures (endoscopy, colonoscopy preparation, and post-procedure monitoring).
• Managed emergency gastrointestinal cases such as GI bleeding, acute abdominal conditions, and liver complications.
• Maintained accurate medical documentation and coordinated multidisciplinary care to ensure continuity of treatment.
• Delivered patient education on diet, medication adherence, and preventive gastrointestinal health practices.

• Worked in a unit with 50 beds with 24 hours admissions in general adult psychiatry ward as a MO on call with three more doctors.
• Initial assessment, diagnosis and management as a first contact doctor in the ward.
• 2 days per week 24 hours on call duties.
• Perform electroconvulsive therapy under guidance of supervising Consultant.
• Counselling and initial Psychotherapy.
• Attending for out ward referrals.
• Conduct general psychiatry clinics, special clinics for child and adolescent psychiatry and Alcohol and rehabilitation to serve for a catchment population of 1.5 million in North central province.
• Educational workshops for general population, school children and medical students in University of Rajarata.
• Arranging transfers for specialist centres under guidance of Consultant.
• MDT presentations.

• Assessed blood donors, collected blood and performed crossmatching of blood and blood products, conducted urgent crossmatching, executed platelet apheresis, coordinated and managed mobile blood donation campaigns.

• Provide emergency management for surgical emergencies.
• As the first on call house officer, all duties of an intern medical officer in General surgery.
• Obtain histories and perform physical examinations.
• Plan the investigations.
• Formulate a diagnosis or differential diagnoses.
• Implement the appropriate management.
• Provide surgical assistance for minor and major surgical procedures.
• Assist emergency major surgeries and procedures.
• Provide preoperative and postoperative management.
• Perform night and holiday shifts and on-call duties.
• Conduct health education and promote preventive health.
• Conduct general surgical clinics- twice a week.
• Prepare patients for emergency and routine surgeries.
• Write discharge summaries.
• MDT presentations.
• There was a civil war in Sri Lanka during this period. Teaching hospital Anuradhapura was a main hospital which provided emergency care for injured army soldiers and civil affected people.

• Executed responsibilities of intern medical officer in General Medicine as first on-call house officer, addressing patient needs promptly and effectively.