A Psychiatric Clinic in General Practice

Abstract

Only a minority suffering from mental illness are treated by the specialist psychiatric service. The majority of psychiatrically ill patients seen in general practice suffer from minor neuroses, personality disorders and situational reactions and can be appropriately treated by the primary care team. However, a significant degree of morbidity, some of it severe, fails to be identified in general practice and the identification and treatment of psychiatric disorder varies according to the GP's interest and attitudes.