Service innovation: The first year of a brief psychiatric screening clinic in primary care

Abstract

Aims and method: To introduce a monthly screening clinic for new patients referred to the community mental health team with less severe mental health problems. Results: Sixty patients were selected for screening in the first year. Their non-attendance rate of 48% was more than double the rate for all new patients. We did not diagnose severe mental illness in any patients on first assessment or during the 6 months of follow-up. Clinical implications: Patients referred from general practice with minor psychiatric morbidity may have particularly high rates of non-attendance. The brief screening clinic model offered us considerable savings in consulting time. The outcome for our service is shorter waiting times for patients with more several mental health problems.