MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER
Mental Health Practitioners provide evidence-based interventions and co-ordinate care plans for adults with severe mental health problems.
They are based in the general practices and play an important role in supporting adults of all ages to live fulfilling lives, by delivering an effective wellbeing interventions to help people recover and improve their lives.
Mental health practitioners provide GPs and other primary care staff with timely support and advice, helping to relieve pressure on workloads and build stronger relationships with mental health services.
How can Mental Health Practitioner support patients?
They conduct assessments, assist in diagnosis, provide education, evidence-based therapeutic interventions, crisis intervention and contribute to development of a care plan, for patients suffering from the following:
- Mild to moderate depression
- Panic disorder or phobias
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Stress
- Health or social anxiety
- Grief
- Relationship difficulties
- Long-term conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
They ensure a holistic approach to mental health care and help with referring to other specialists when necessary.
How to access this service?
Mental Health Practitioner are available at every practice within our PCN.
To request an appoitment, please contact the practice you are registered with.
Before referral:
Vefore Mental Health Professional accepts the referral, they will assess patient's readiness to change and understand their expectations from the service. It is important that patient:
- Is ready to make active change and take responsibility for change,
- Can identify specific therapy goals,
- Is willing to do homework between sessions,
- Is ready to accept that he/she might experience an increase in emotional discomfort during therapy.
Mental Health Practitioners - What is their role?
To find out more, about how can Mental Health Practitioners benefit patients, watch a video below from Martha Miles, who talks about the work she does caring for patients and helping them to lead fulfilling lives.
We will also hear from Community Mental Health Service Manager, Eleanor Duke, who describes how the Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner role helps her team deliver quality services for patients in the communities they serve, as published by the NHS England (video opens in a new window).
