The Primary Care Mental Health Liaison Service is a GP-based service where Mental Health Specialist Practitioners work within GP practices to assist GPs and patients who present with mental health problems.
These highly experienced colleagues work within GP practices to assist in understanding the nature of the problem and the best and most efficient route to recovery. Practitioners have a 20-minute telephone conversation with the person to identify what matters most to them.
In many cases, issues can be resolved within the practice without the need for a referral to another service or agency. Our colleagues are very familiar with all the other agencies and services available within the community, including Social Prescribing agencies in the charity sector and the various clinical pathways throughout the Health Board.
Following the initial conversation, the outcome might be web-based services, advice guidance and support, or more structured assistance from a range of community-based services. These services offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, counselling, guided self-help, bereavement support and anger management as well as access to groups and services aimed at addressing housing, debt, employment, abuse recovery, domestic violence support or social isolation.
Our Mental Health Practitioners are also able to assist with referrals to other services, such as Community Mental Health Teams, Psychological Therapies, Primary Mental Health Support Services and specialist Trauma services.
The aim is to assist people in making sense of what might be troubling them and find a positive option to bring about change.
Face-to-face consultations are available if the practitioner believes that this would be beneficial, or if a person needs a safe space to talk or struggles to communicate over the phone. Interpreters are also available as needed.