Role of a Mental Health Practitioner

Mental health practitioners are clinical staff, usually with a mental health nursing background, who are part of the GP surgery team working to support our patients experiencing mental health problems. They are able to independently assess adults with a range of mental health conditions, and offer advice on management including self-management, medication options in primary care, how to access community services such as social support and psychological therapies, and provide onward referrals to secondary care where required.

You can request an appointment with a mental health practitioner by submitting an eConsult.

Some resources you may find helpful for the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire area. Please check the areas they serve before making contact.

Urgent mental health needs

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

  • The mental health crisis response line is now 111 (select mental health option 2). In a life-threatening emergency, call 999 instead.
  • The Samaritans: Telephone 116 123. Other contact information can be found on https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/
  • The Sanctuary: Telephone 07709295661 available 6pm-12:30am. Offers evening appointments for people in serious emotional distress who need some breathing space and someone to talk to, based at Southmead Hospital.

Physiological Therapies 

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

 

Available North Somerset Only

Low-cost counselling – please be aware this is a list of services available and we do not make any recommendations/endorsements

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

  • AWP: Adults can be referred to AWP or Clinical Partners for assessment and treatment. AWP currently had a 5 year waiting list. Patients need to complete a form as part of the referral, available here https://remedy.bnssg.icb.nhs.uk/media/5319/new-adhd-referral-form-part-2-v3-0122.docx
  • Problem Shared: Patients are required to complete a symptom checklist for the referral, available here Adult_ADHD_self-report_scale_symptom_checklist.pdf
  • Right To Choose: Some ADHD services commissioned by other regions of the NHS can be requested to provide assessments and treatments for our patients, where this is your preference. Please be aware these are normally virtual consultations and their systems may not integrate well with those here, resulting in problems expecting GPs to prescribe medications when local GPs cannot do this, for example.
  • Children should normally be referred by their school for ADHD assessment.

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder 

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

  • Adults can be referred to BASS or Clinical Partners for assessment and some subsequent support.
  • BASS: Information on assessments can be found here https://www.awp.nhs.uk/application/files/5117/2606/6400/leaflet_2.pdf Patients need to complete a form as part of the referral, available at https://www.awp.nhs.uk/download_file/view/6467/1087
  • Clinical Partners: Patients are required to complete a symptom checklist for the referral, available here AQ-10_for_adults.pdf
  • Right To Choose: Some autism spectrum services commissioned by other regions of the NHS can be requested to provide assessments for our patients, where this is your preference. Please be aware these are normally virtual consultations, they may not provide support following a diagnosis and their systems may not integrate well with those here.

 

Eating disorders support

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

  • SWEDA: Telephone 0300 3305464 lines open Tuesday 8pm-11pm and Sundays 11am-2pm or online at https://swedauk.org/contact-us Also offers low cost counselling and other support.

Veterans support

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Drug and Alcohol Service 

Available Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Available Bristol

  • DHI in Bristol, telephone 0117 440 0540

Available South Gloucestershire 

 

Self-help guides

Guides on common mental health disorders and methods you can employ to manage these can be found: https://selfhelp.cntw.nhs.uk/