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College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
HST Liaison Psychiatry
Liaison psychiatry in Ireland is a subspecialty pathway within the CPsychI Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines HST scheme: trainees complete the CSCST in Psychiatry (General Adult) with a minimum 12-month liaison placement and the liaison learning outcomes, as no standalone liaison CSCST exists.
How the length works
No standalone CSCST: the three-year General Adult CSCST plus a year in a liaison placement.
Duration: No standalone CSCST exists in Liaison Psychiatry in Ireland. The pathway is the three-year CSCST in Psychiatry (General Adult) with, in addition, one year of higher training in a liaison placement: 'the College recommends that a doctor practising as ... a Liaison Psychiatrist ... in addition to meeting the criteria for CSCST in Psychiatry (General Adult), should have one year of higher training in the relevant psychiatric placement.' College recognition of Liaison Psychiatry requires attainment of all liaison subspecialty learning outcomes and a minimum placement of 12 months in the subspecialty. (CPsychI Regulations, Revision 13, July 2025)
Annual intake: Not published separately for Liaison Psychiatry. The Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines grouping had 46 Year 1 HST trainees in 2024 (HSE NDTP Medical Workforce Analysis Report 2024-2025).
Applications: July 2027 intake (Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines scheme): applications open Friday 20 November 2026, close Friday 8 January 2027; in-person interviews Thursday 11 February 2027 in Dublin; results Friday 26 February 2027. (CPsychI HST Recruitment page, accessed July 2026)
Entry: As for the Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines HST scheme: completion of Basic Specialist Training in psychiatry plus the College's examination requirements (CPsychI BST Clinical Examination for streamlined candidates, with MRCPsych written papers completed during BST; MRCPsych UK or equivalent for non-streamlined candidates), followed by competitive interview. Liaison Psychiatry is a subspecialty pathway within that scheme, typically taken as the third HST year. (CPsychI Regulations, Revision 13, July 2025)
Exams: No further membership examination during HST; progression is assessed by Annual Review of Progress (ARP) panels, with liaison subspecialty learning outcomes recorded formally in the ARP Panel Report. (CPsychI Regulations, Revision 13, July 2025)
There is no standalone CSCST in Liaison Psychiatry in Ireland; CSCSTs are available in four psychiatry specialties only. Liaison Psychiatry is one of the recognised subspecialties of adult psychiatry (alongside Forensic, Social & Rehabilitation, Addiction, Perinatal and Eating Disorders psychiatry). The College's regulations recommend that a doctor practising as a Liaison Psychiatrist should meet the criteria for the CSCST in Psychiatry (General Adult) and have one year of higher training in a liaison placement. Formal College recognition requires attainment of all liaison subspecialty learning outcomes and a minimum 12-month placement in the subspecialty, recorded in the Annual Review of Progress Panel Report; the learning outcomes may be attained during any HST placement.
Entry is through the annual competitive interview for the national Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines HST scheme after completion of BST and the College's examination requirements. The liaison year is normally taken as the third year of the General Adult programme.
How selection is scored
Shortlisting - Category B non-streamlining applicants (updated November 2023)max 50
Clinical experience in psychiatry20
Clinical experience in physical health10
Scheme-level scoring for the Adult Psychiatry & Related Disciplines competition; there is no separate liaison scoring scheme.
Interview - clinical (non-lecturer) HST posts, July 2024 intakemax 100
General training & experience30
Qualifications / further education10
Research & publications15
Management / leadership / team working15
Communication skills / motivation / career planning20
References carry no score. Lecturer-post interviews are marked out of 135.
Where you train
Liaison Psychiatry placements within the national HST scheme; a named list of liaison training sites is not published in the Regulations. (CPsychI Regulations, Revision 13, July 2025)
Where this leads
CSCST in Psychiatry (General Adult) with College recognition of Liaison Psychiatry subspecialty training (minimum 12-month liaison placement plus all liaison learning outcomes), which the College recommends for practice as a Liaison Psychiatrist. (CPsychI Regulations, Revision 13, July 2025)
Facts last verified 2026-07-27. Scheme details change year to year; always confirm against College of Psychiatrists of Ireland's current documentation.