In the United Kingdom, patients gain access to psychiatric care through
general practitioners (GPs). The first of three studies conducted to assess
the role of GPs in managing patients with long-term mental illness found
that such patients were unevenly distributed in general practices and that
GPs preferred to care for them in collaboration with psychiatric
specialists. A more detailed study of 16 general practices yielded
information on characteristics and care of long-term mentally ill patients,
including a high rate of GP consultations for them. A third, controlled
study examined the impact of teaching GPs to provide a structured
assessment of long-term mentally ill patients every six months; after the
intervention, only a small number of patients actually received such
assessments.
Abstract Teaser