Improving access to primary mental health services: are link workers the answer?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Mental Health Services Research
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Common mental disorders like anxiety and depression are linked to socioeconomic deprivation.
• The Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) program aims to increase access to mental health treatment.
• Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) populations in Ealing were underrepresented in IAPT referrals despite a high BME population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of placing mental health link workers in general practitioner (GP) surgeries on IAPT service referrals for BME patients.
• To evaluate a strategy for addressing ethnic disparities in mental healthcare access.

Main Methods:

• A 2009 initiative in Southall placed mental health link workers in 6 out of 23 GP practices.
• Link workers offered psychological therapy and raised awareness of mental health services within BME communities.
• Referral rates were monitored using statistical process control.

Main Results:

• GP practices without link workers showed a stable BME referral rate of 0.35 per 10,000 patients per week.
• Practices with link workers saw an increase in BME patient referrals, rising from 0.65 to 1.37 per 10,000 patients per week.
• This represents a significant improvement in referral rates for BME individuals.

Conclusions:

• Locating mental health link workers within GP practices can enhance the care of BME patients experiencing anxiety and depression.
• This collaborative healthcare approach shows potential for reducing ethnic disparities in mental health service utilization.
• Integrating link workers is a promising strategy for improving equitable access to psychological therapies.