Establishing a mental health liaison attachment with primary care

Abstract

The role of the general practitioner (GP) in the care of individuals with mental health problems has long been recognised. Goldberg & Huxleys' (1980) pioneering work on the pathways to mental health care demonstrated that only a fraction of identified mental health problems are referred on to psychiatrists. Goldberg & Bridges (1987) estimated that between 20 and 25% of a GP's workload concerns mental health, with only about 5% referred on to psychiatrists. Shepherd (1991) insisted that the only real hope for significant improvement in mental health care lay in the improvement of GP provision – there will simply never be enough psychiatrists.