Manx Care, in partnership with the primary care network, is piloting a ‘Mental Health First Contact Practitioner’ service in two GP Practices over 12 months.

Peel Medical Practice and Southern Group Practice are the pilot locations for this new service, with the aim of improving access to mental health services for patients experiencing mental health problems.

First Contact Practitioners can offer specialist mental health advice and provide expert clinical care, ensuring that individuals experiencing mental health problems do not fall between gaps in services. 

They can undertake triage and assessments, enabling access to a range of appropriate mental health support across the community system.

The practitioners will also ensure that, once assessed, each person receives the best possible care in the right place and at the right time, by the right supporting service. This may include the provision of brief, short-term psychological interventions as appropriate.

Dr Oliver Ellis, clinical lead for the IoM Primary Care Network, said: ‘The patient feedback we’ve received for this pilot has been very encouraging. This new service will help patients struggling with mental health problems get seen quicker at their GP surgery.’

Ross Bailey, general manager for Mental Health Services, said: ‘We’re so pleased to be able to offer this service to those in our community who require support.

‘If you are a patient at Peel or Southern Group practice and have an emotional wellbeing or mental health concern, please make an appointment to discuss this with your Mental Health First Contact Practitioner.’

Once the pilot has been fully assessed, consideration will be given to rolling this out further across the island.