WIBU to complain that not one of the doctors at my supersurgery has a particular interest in mental health?

[MrsHathaway]

I was browsing my GP surgery's website today to see if I could remember who I last saw because a couple of the GPs I don't find particularly lovely and I'd rather not waste anybody's time.

In the profiles bit it lists their particular interests - eg there's someone who has a particular interest in joint complaints, and people who have a particular interest in male and female sterilisation respectively. Each of the doctors has three or four areas of particular interest.

Not one of the many doctors lists mental health.

It's estimated that one in four GP appointments relates to mental health issues, and 23% of the burden on healthcare in the UK. A fucking QUARTER, and not one GP who is the go-to person in my absolutely enormous practice.

That's just wrong, surely? Even if every single one of them has had intense training on MH issues and are all experts, there's not a whisper of it on their brand new and shiny website, or newsletter, or practice handbook.

I've been through the entire website. There are two references to mental health - one saying they have links to the area CPN, and the Samaritans' number in their links to other agencies.

It gives the impression that mental health isn't really part of their remit, when actually they're the first port of call.

Late night irritation but I'm wondering whether this is an issue that ought to be raised through formal channels (in the first instance, with an email to the practice manager)? Am I just being precious?

i think it's terrible the time slots you are given! I think my practise may have been cut down to 5minutes! ( or it was that day) how can you actually sort anything out in that time?

Ain't that the truth. At one stage our practice was only allowed to give five minutes for an emergency appointment, and ten for other matters. Theoretically you could book a double if you thought you'd need longer, but in practice there weren't enough.

Then they changed the system so all new matters were seen in "emergency" appointment slots. An entire new history, dx and treatment plan in five minutes... Check the staff toilets because I think there might be some capes in there!

(going to bed)

As a GP myself I wonder if you're missing the point of "special interest"... Usually it means an area that the GP can bring a skill that benefits the practice eg I would say I have a special interest in sexual health as I had additional qualification in it and can fit and remove implants - each time I remove an implant the practice gets £70 or so.
I'm struggling to think how a special interest in MH would benefit the practice in the same way as providing joint injections, vasectomies, coils etc which would otherwise be outsourced.

I never actually did a psychiatric job post medical school, but saw patients with MH issues in GP land every single day. As someone said upthread, depression, anxiety etc are able to be dealt with at primary care level with a minority of cases needing secondary care input. I'd be pretty annoyed if someone assumed I was incapable of dealing with it just because it wasn't listed as a special interest.

"Baconyum - if you were a patient in my practice, we'd bite your hand off if you offered to make our website a bit more mental-health friendly."

I'm hoping that post's a compliment Frances, I will take it as such and say thank you (it's an area I'd love to work in but am repeatedly rejected from on anything but a voluntary basis because...I've not worked for several years due to...being mentally ill

"our PPG only want to talk/ fundraise/ educate about diseases that they suffer from, at the expense of all the others" perhaps because I have several dx plus have a number of friends/relatives with mh dx. But I've been on groups like this and soooo know what you mean.

I suspect the actual number of mentally ill people is far higher as it's so stigmatised, plus the issue of men being notoriously reluctant to visit the Dr for ANYTHING! I also trained as a nurse and was an HCP for a time but felt it wasn't for me.

"I'd be happy to see any of my colleagues about a primary care MH problem" sadly I have to say this seems to be a rarity.

I've been under the care of several different practices due to moving around, I've also discussed this within my circle and as a volunteer, not all practices and not all doctors are approachable, understanding or even sympathetic. Unfortunately the phrase 'you just need to pull yourself together' is still used and not always older doctors as might be assumed either.

But yes, 2 of the GP's I've had should be cloned and one of the 2 placed in every practice they were so good not only in treating (as far as they could it being primary care) but also in advocating for me when I had nobody else to and was at crisis point.

Re people not training in psychiatry/psychology and related areas, It's always been a Cinderella service. Even for Drs and hcps it's considered a less than well regarded area of medicine to go into. The stigma therefore applying to those treating as well as patients.

"Some people come in about something else before they will talk about their mh." So true, 'just one more small thing'/hand on the door moment. Because of stigma/not wanting to waste DR's time/not being sure if it's really a health problem etc

Sorry, much digression.