INTEGRATION BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICES IN THE CARE OF THESEVERELY MENTALLY-ILL - PATIENTS AND GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS VIEWS

Citation
J. Bindman et al., INTEGRATION BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICES IN THE CARE OF THESEVERELY MENTALLY-ILL - PATIENTS AND GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS VIEWS, British Journal of Psychiatry, 171, 1997, pp. 169-174
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Psychiatry
ISSN journal
00071250
Volume
171
Year of publication
1997
Pages
169 - 174
Database
ISI
SICI code
0007-1250(1997)171:<169:IBPASS>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
Background Communication between secondary and primary care is an impo rtant aspect of continuity of care. We investigated communication betw een general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatric teams about a represen tative group of patients with severe mental illness (SMI), We also sou ght views on GP involvement in care from the patients and their GPs. M ethods One hundred patients with SMI were randomly selected from those under the care of two psychiatric sector teams in inner London. The p atients and their GPs were interviewed. Results GPs' knowledge about t he care their patients received was limited. Most GPs perceived their role as providing physical care and prescribing. Few patients consulte d GPs for mental health care. GPs perceived themselves as less involve d in the care of Black Caribbean or Black African patients. Conclusion s Considerable discontinuities of care between secondary and primary c are were identified. GP involvement in the care of patients with SMI a ppears limited. Better communication is necessary if care is to be sha red.