Our Mental Health Nurse is Emma Smith – and she works in each of our member practices.
Emma offers assessment and formulation of treatment plans and brief interventions where appropriate, as well as onward referral and bridging to other services as required. Emma also supports the Social Prescribers where needed.
She works as part of an integrated, PCN aligned, multidisciplinary team inclusive of colleagues from primary care, the VCSE sector, local authority and other key partners.
Looking after our mental health is important for everyone. If you, or someone you know requires support, it’s important to find the right kind of help early on, and your GP can help you to do this. Mental health professionals are now available at your local GP practice to help you get the support you need, when you need it.
Mental health therapists and practitioners can help with:
- support in identifying current issues that you are struggling with
- providing tools and techniques to help manage symptoms
- supporting people who are experiencing the psychological effects of managing long-term conditions, such as diabetes
What are the benefits for GPs?
- alleviate time spent on mental health consultations
- improve the patient journey and overall experience
- faster access to appropriate mental health expertise
- early detection of mental health difficulties
- active case management to reduce the number of patients who fall between primary and secondary care services
Exclusions for our PCN Mental Health Practitioner are as follows:-
- Patient seeking medication or a fit note only
- Patients who are actively engaging with other mental health services such as counselling, IAPT secondary care services
- Patients under 18 years of age
The following video from the NHS helps to explain what a mental health practitioner does: