A counsellor in general practice: a one-year survey.

Area of Science:

• General Practice
• Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Integration of counselling services into primary care settings is increasingly recognized.
• General practices manage a wide range of patient concerns, including mental health issues.
• Assessing the utility and uptake of in-house counselling is crucial for service development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the first year of a counsellor's work within a large general practice.
• To identify the types of patient problems addressed by the counsellor.
• To evaluate patient perceptions of the counselling service.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of counselling service records over a 12-month period.
• Analysis of patient demographics, session numbers, and appointment attendance.
• Categorization of presenting problems and summary of patient feedback.

Main Results:

• Eighty-seven patients received counselling across 197 sessions.
• High rates of missed appointments were observed: 35% for initial and 22% for follow-up sessions.
• Commonly addressed issues included anxiety, stress, marital problems, and abortion.

Conclusions:

• The practice-based counselling service addressed significant patient needs, particularly for anxiety and stress.
• Patient feedback indicated perceived relief and problem-solving benefits from the service.
• Strategies to improve appointment adherence may enhance service accessibility and impact.