GP Clinic: Promoting access to primary health care for mental health service clients

Abstract

The GP Clinic is a straightforward and flexible service model that could be used more widely.

Minding our own bodies: Reviewing the literature regarding the perceptions of service users diagnosed with serious mental illness on barriers to accessing physical health care

“…Perkins et al (2010), for example, piloted a monthly GP-led clinic in Australia, in collaboration with the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), achieving positive results for both users and service providers. While Perkins et al (2010) go on to suggest greater involvement of psychiatrists and the development of formal models of shared-care to establish full integration and routine delivery of such care, cognisance needs to be taken of overshadowing in terms of mental illness taking centre stage. While Perkins et al (2010) go on to suggest greater involvement of psychiatrists and the development of formal models of shared-care to establish full integration and routine delivery of such care, cognisance needs to be taken of overshadowing in terms of mental illness taking centre stage.…”

“…With regard to primary care in all three countries, it seems that, essentially, better coordination and active engagement with the physical care needs of those with SMI, need further exploration (DeCoux 2005;Lester et al 2005;McCabe & Leas 2008). Perkins et al (2010), for example, piloted a monthly GP-led clinic in Australia, in collaboration with the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT), achieving positive results for both users and service providers. To achieve success, the CMHT nurses proactively organized appointments, and enabled attendance (including organizing transport and accompanying clients as necessary), and the GP practice provided clinic space and volunteered to staff the sessions.…”

“…To achieve success, the CMHT nurses proactively organized appointments, and enabled attendance (including organizing transport and accompanying clients as necessary), and the GP practice provided clinic space and volunteered to staff the sessions. While Perkins et al (2010) go on to suggest greater involvement of psychiatrists and the development of formal models of shared-care to establish full integration and routine delivery of such care, cognisance needs to be taken of overshadowing in terms of mental illness taking centre stage.…”

Stepped Care, System Architecture and Mental Health Services in Australia

“…On the basis of my research experience in mental health systems and services I propose a minimalist model of stepped care as a contribution to this integrated systems architecture recommended by the MHC [345678]. …”

Applying the World Health Organization Mental Health Action Plan to evaluate policy on addressing co-occurrence of physical and mental illnesses in Australia

“…47 Several of these programs for improving services, and studies for ascertaining service needs, have been funded by government at either federal or state level. 39,48 Randomised controlled trials have been conducted for smoking 49 and diet, 50 and several lifestyle programs have been evaluated using other methods. 51,52 These developments have followed emerging consensus on policy and care management approaches to mental and physical illness cooccurrence where the mental health system is viewed to be important (not primary care alone), 53 the side-effects of psychotropic drugs are acknowledged 54,55 and the physical health risks encountered more by people with mental illness are better understood.…”