* Ninety per cent of all people with a mental health problem are managed entirely in primary care.

* Thirty per cent of the 270 million general practice consultations that take place each year have a mental health component.

* Over £100 million is spent annually on antidepressant medication.

Written by an expert team of practising primary care clinicians, this comprehensive yet accessible book contains practical, up-to-date information on how best to manage this group of patients and their complex needs.

This book will equip primary care professionals with the knowledge, attitudes and skills to manage the range of mental health disorders that present in today's general practice.

The book includes information on:

* common and severe mental illnesses
* recent changes to the nGMS contract
* recent changes to the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
* the management of mental health problems in children and older people
* the management of mental health problems in vulnerable groups.

The practical approach is underpinned by providing clinical and research evidence, as well as drawing on the extensive experience in primary care of the contributing authors.

This book will be a valuable resource for all health professionals in primary care who wish to understand how to offer a high-quality mental health service to their patients.