Introduction

Around 40 per cent of GP appointments now involve mental healthRC (Mind 2018) and complexity is increasing with rising referral to secondary care (BMA 2017). Despite this, 90% of mental conditions are exclusively cared for in primary care (NHS England, 2017). The resources here will assist you with early assessment, recognition, management and support of patients with mental health difficulties and those close to them. 

More information on the RCGP’s perspective on the provision of mental health care in primary care can be found in the RCGP Position Statement (2017) (PDF file).

Each section of the toolkit is divided into four sections, helping you find the information you need easily:

  • Guidelines: Guidelines from a variety of national and international sources are collated for quick access to the latest evidence-based practice. 
  • Useful resources: This is a list of non-guideline resources that practitioners may find helpful in the clinical assessment and management of patients with mental health conditions.
  • Patient and carer information: A collection of resources, information and support that it might be helpful to signpost your patients and their families/carers to.
  • Further reading: This highlights sources of further learning -  these are available in a variety of formats, including elearning, academic blogs, podcasts and reading.