Mental Health Practitioners can support population health management through providing a combined consultation, advice, triage and liaison function. Working with other PCN-based roles, MHPs can address the potential range of biopsychosocial needs of patients with mental health problems, as part of a multi-disciplinary team. PCNs contribute 50 per cent of the salary and employers NI/ pension costs, reimbursable via the ARRS. Remainder is covered by the local provider of mental health services, which will be confirmed in the NHS Standard Contract. The practitioner(s) are additional to MHPs and co-located IAPT practitioners that are already embedded within general practice.
This is a role that can be provided by several professions and range from Band 5 to Band 8a so the level of knowledge and skill can be very varied. Many patients develop anxiety and depression as a result of cancer and its treatment. Some patients will already have mental health conditions as co-morbidities when diagnosed. The are also likely to be involved with high-risk populations so could impact on prevention and screening rates. Dependent on practitioner level of skill this is a role that can assess, signpost and potentially deliver psychological intervention to the cancer patient population. As this is a shared role between Primary Care and Community Services this will improve pathways into services whilst also utilising other support systems within primary care such as social prescribing
Mental Health practitioners can support the following:
Prevention
- Making Every Contact Count
- Healthy Lifestyle advice
- Signposting to services
Screening
- Work with high risk and social deprived who may not be attending screening, potential for MECC by
- Tackling Health inequalities
Early Diagnosis
- Knowledge of signs and symptoms of cancer and recurrence
Personalised Care
- Assessment and treatment of mental health problems that may be caused or increased by diagnosis of cancer
- Signposting to wider services specialist and non-specialist
The Cancer Quality of Life Survey shows that cancer patients report higher levels of depression and anxiety than the general population. Access to a MHP that can assess, potentially diagnose, treat or refer to other professionals, talking therapies and support groups will help improve cancer patients quality of life at any point in the cancer pathway.
We can offer training and education to help you support and provide personalised care to cancer patients. Please see here for more details (Appendix 7). Most importantly we can help provide information of where you can signpost patients to for further support.
We welcome ideas on further training needs or innovation. Please do contact us to discuss further.
Wessex Cancer Alliance provides a Primary Care Newsletter which provides up to date information and education offers. Please contact us if you would like to subscribe.
We have provided some insight on how you could utilise a Mental Health Practitioner and how this will help deliver the GP Contract DES and other primary care responsibilities (Appendix 9).
If you would like more general information about this role and supportive documents, please access Wessex LMCs: PCN Workforce – ARRS
Wessex Cancer Alliance provides a Primary Care Newsletter which provides up to date information and education offers. Please contact us if you would like to subscribe.
