• March 28, 2024
 GP Surgeries to Incorporate Mental Health Experts

GP Surgeries to Incorporate Mental Health Experts

New NHS England plans are encouraging all GP surgeries to hire full-time mental health professionals in order to amalgamate mental and physical health services.

More than 16 million people in England are diagnosed with long-term physical health problems, a third of these people will also suffer from mental health issues. The concept of bringing these services under the same roof will create greater collaboration between services and improve customer awareness.

This is a process already being trilled in certain parts of the country with pleasing results. The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, use the GP’s diary system, allowing practice staff to coordinate appointments between physical and mental health departments.

Results in Cambridge and Peterborough are particularly promising with coordination saving the NHS £200,000. By providing mental health care in GP surgeries to people with diabetes, cardiovascular or respiratory services has significantly reduced A&E admissions by 66% and a 75% reduction in inpatient hospital attendance.

Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s National Director for Mental Health, said: “Joining up talking therapy services in primary care settings is another big step forward for our patients and a key plank in putting mental health at the centre of the long-term plan for the NHS.

“We are on track to deliver 3,000 therapists in primary care, with over 800 in surgeries at the end of last year and this handy guidance should convince those practices that are yet to take the plunge of the benefits.”

It is hoped that greater communication between mental and physical health departments will improve collaboration, reduce wasted NHS money and improve mental capacity and mental health access.

Dr John Hague, Clinical Mental Health Lead at Suffolk and North East Essex STP (sustainability and transformation plan), said: “If the IAPT service is seeing a patient then it is freeing up the GPs and nurses to do other work. So why not do it?

“There is no reason why not. Evidence-based low intensity treatments are effective in terms of patient recovery and for most issues offer the most rapid, sure-fire chance of recovery.”

Dr Nikita Kanani, NHS England’s Acting Director of Primary Care, said: “General practice is the front door of the NHS. We continue to support the expansion of the workforce so patients have access to a range of different health professionals so that we can better support both their physical and mental health needs.”

Recent figures released by the NHS indicate that 90% of adults with mental health problems are treated in primary care; this further expansion of services should mean that the NHS are more prepared to deal with mental illness and mental capacity in the future.

Will these changes result in a more efficient service that will help people with mental capacity issues? 

 

 

 

Martin Parrin