What does it mean?
The service is a specialist mental health team – based from a nursing model and comprising specialist non-medical prescribers and social workers – embedded within General Practice.
Launched in April 2016, the service was the product of collaborative problem solving between DDHF, The Tees, Esk and Wear (TEWV) Valley Foundation Trust, Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield Clinical Commissioning Group (DDES CCG
Reducing inappropriate referrals to secondary mental health services was a central aim, along with creating a system of easily accessible support for patients with mild to moderate conditions.
Being in local practices means that people can see a mental health expert in the familiar surroundings.