Psychiatric Bulletin (2008) 32: 369-374. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.107.017533
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Psychological therapies provision: views from primary care

Anne Ward, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy

Maudsley Psychotherapy Service, OPD Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, email: Anne.Ward{at}slam.nhs.uk

Giovanni Polizzi, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy

Maudsley Psychotherapy Service, OPD Maudsley Hospital

Miomir Milovanovic, Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy

South West London & St George’s NHS Trust, Psychotherapy Department, Springfield Hospital

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

Recent National Health Service (NHS) policy and guidelines support the increased provision of psychological therapies. As secondary care providers of psychological therapies, we carried out a questionnaire study of how our services were perceived by local general practitioners (GPs). All GPs in the borough of Southwark were included.

RESULTS

General practitioners value secondary care psychotherapeutic input across a spectrum of complex diagnostic groups and are interested in further training/education. They also consistently complain about long waiting times and confusion about accessing the various services.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

With increasing interest in and willingness to fund the delivery of psychological therapies, there is the potential for working more effectively across the primary–secondary care divide. However, improved communication between primary and secondary care is essential if the increased commitment at government level is to be translated into a locally effective service.