International journal of psychiatry in medicine
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Int J Psychiatry Med · Jan 2006
ReviewDepression case finding in primary care: a method for the mandates.
The current mandates for depression screening in primary care create a dilemma for clinicians. How should screening be implemented in the face of limited evidence for sustainable strategies for effective depression monitoring and management in primary care. In this article we review the issues surrounding primary care depression screening, and develop the argument for a case-finding strategy that includes careful choice of a single instrument, focused identification of high-risk patients, and systematic monitoring of outcomes. We believe this is a sustainable method that primary care clinicians can implement to address the spirit of current depression screening mandates.
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Int J Psychiatry Med · Jan 2006
Current issues in providing primary medical care to people with serious mental illness.
This article explores some of the current issues in providing primary care for people with serious mental illness. In contrast to many patients in the United States, up to half of patients with serious mental illness in the United Kingdom are seen only by the primary care team. However many General Practitioners feel that the care of this patient group is beyond their remit. ⋯ On the ground, these policy imperatives have been realised through different models of shared care and schemes to encourage better communication across the primary/secondary interface. Most recently, and perhaps most effectively, the introduction of a type of performance related pay into primary care may lead to changes to the way in which General Practitioners think and act in terms of their roles and responsibilities with this patient group. Theoretically, therefore the United Kingdom may be entering a new "golden age" of primary care based mental health services for people with serious mental illness, where holistic care, preventive care and health promotion are increasingly seen not as the gold standard, but the norm.