A significant problem experienced by some GPs and many trainees and other primary care health professionals is the challenge of completing a useful and safe consultation with patients with mental health problems within the constraints of a standard-length appointment. These challenges may arise from a lack of specific expertise in this area, poor training in the relevant skills and, perhaps, the attitude that there is not much that the primary care practitioner can do to help.

This new book focuses on enhancing the repertoire of communication skills available for mental health consultation, providing a range of tools and techniques drawn from accepted models, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), transactional analysis (TA), motivational interviewing and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), illustrating how to apply these within a typical 10- to 12-minute primary care consultation.

Key features:

• enhances the repertoire of communication and consultation skills for primary care practitioners working in mental health consultations
• summaries and quick take-home points aid rapid reference in the time-constrained consultation setting whether in person or virtual
• offers worked-through model consultations with a variety of patients, showing how to apply the tools and techniques described
• demonstrates how such consultations can be completed safely and effectively within a normal consultation time frame

Essential reading for all primary care practitioners in training and in practice, the book equips readers with the confidence and knowledge to provide excellent mental health care for their patients.