Ethical Dilemmas in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Oman

ABSTRACT

As child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) develop in Oman, the ethical conundrums are starting to emerge. In Oman, implementing the principle of autonomy is an ongoing ethical dilemma facing mental health professionals in child and adolescent psychiatry. Despite that, CAMHS have come a long way against all odds in Oman.

KEYWORDS:

• Ethics
• adolescent psychiatry
• Oman

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Almoatasem Al-Maamari

Almoatasem Al-Maamari is a fourth year psychiatry resident under the Oman Medical Specialities Board. He obtained his MD from the Sultan Al-Qaboos University, and he is MCCEE and IFOM certified. Dr Al-Maamari also holds MA in political science and was a member of the National Youth Commission in Oman.

Qutouf Al-Kindi

Qutouf Al-Kindi is an assistant psychologist who is passionate about the human brain and its crucial translations of neural activity into actions and behaviours. She is registered with the BPS and obtained her BSc in Psychology from the University of Sheffield and then completed her Masters in Neuropsychology at the University of Bristol.

Hassan Mirza

Hassan Mirza is a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in the Department of Behavioural Medicine at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. He underwent his training in psychiatry under the Oman Medical Specialty Board, and did masters in child psychiatry from King's College London, and postgraduate certificate from University College London, he further specialised in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital in London. Dr Mirza has specialist expertise in the assessment and management of ADHD across the life span, and is the clinical lead of the Adult ADHD Service which he established at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2018. He is also the Associate Program Director of the psychiatry residency programme at the Oman Medical Specialty Board.