One in seven Herts Valley patients' mental health problems 'unrecognised by GP'

One in seven patients in Herts Valley feel their mental health problems are going unrecognised by their GP, new figures suggest.

A survey of 6,525 patients in the NHS Herts Valleys CCG area revealed 3,044 had mental health needs of some kind at their last GP appointment.

Of those, 15 per cent felt their needs had not been recognised or understood after speaking to their doctor.

The figures come from the 2020 GP Patient Survey, conducted between January and April this year, which provides an overview of patients' experiences with primary care services.

Across England, 15 per cent of patients surveyed said their healthcare professional didn't recognise or understand any mental health needs they might have had during their most recent appointment – up slightly from 14 per cent in 2019.

The Royal College of GPs is calling for longer appointment slots, warning the standard 10-minute window is "not fit for purpose" and leaves doctors unable to delve into more complex health issues.

Royal College of GPs chairman Professor Martin Marshall said mental health is a priority in general practice, but some conditions are "complex and difficult to diagnose".

"It’s not uncommon for some patients to present with physical issues, such as chest pains, and only after careful assessment would a GP be able to determine if a symptom is due to an underlying physical condition or stress and anxiety," he said.

He added that this was why the college had spent several years calling for longer appointments.

"The standard 10-minute appointment is not fit for purpose, particularly for complex conditions. If we are to give mental health problems parity of esteem with physical health problems, the reality is GPs will need more time with patients," he said.

Of the Herts Valley patients surveyed, 85 per cent said their overall experience of their GP practice was good – above the national average of 82 per cent.

A Herts Valley CCG spokesperson said: "We’re really pleased with the overall positive feedback in this year’s GP patient survey.

"Our GPs and practice staff work hard to make sure that patients needing an appointment are seen in good time and get the right support for their needs.

"While standard GP appointment times are 10 minutes – based on what most patients need - GPs can flex appointments and offer longer consultations if patients need one."

Lucy Schonegevel, head of health influencing at charity Rethink Mental Illness, said it is worrying some patients feel their needs aren't being met.

She said: “GPs are the first port of call for many people experiencing mental health problems, so it’s crucial that people can trust that they will receive a high standard of care from their doctor.

"We’re anticipating an increase in demand for mental health services due to the pandemic, so to reduce pressure on GPs it’s crucial to open up other routes to help people access mental health care when they need it."

She added that although more training would help GPs to provide more effective support, other solutions such as link workers within general practice should be considered.

The NHS has committed to introducing 1,000 link workers – non-clinical staff focused on supporting wellbeing who can signpost to support or activity groups – by April 2021 as part of its Long Term Plan.

The CCG spokesperson added: "We recognise that people’s physical health is interconnected with other factors such as their mental health and personal circumstances.

"West Hertfordshire has led work on social prescribing and all GP practices can call on link workers who spend time with patients and connect them with community health and wellbeing help such as social groups and support for financial issues, housing and befriending services.

"Link workers will also connect people to mental health services such as MIND and Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust where needed.

"Additional support comes from specialist mental health link workers who can clinically assess patients’ mental health needs and put in place care plans, including social prescribing.

"We appreciate the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health and are helping people to access the support they need by working in this joined up way."