FT scheme cuts costs in primary and secondary care

An innovative scheme to support people with complex needs reduces costs in both primary and secondary care. 

Run by the Tavistock and Portman foundation trust, the service supports people with personality disorders, chronic mental health problems and medically unexplained symptoms. 

Through the Primary Care Psychotherapy Consultation Service (PCPCS), GPs are offered training and support, and a range of psychological therapies are offered to patients. 

The service has been found to reduce GP consultations, A&E visits, outpatient appointments and hospital admissions for patients. 

A report into PCPCS found a 75% improvement in the mental health of patients. 

In a foreword to the report, Dr Geraldine Strathdee, National Clinical Director for Mental Health, said: “This kind of innovation should be the hallmark of a twenty-first century NHS. Instigated by GPs, and based on clear evidence of unmet need, the PCPCS offers new hope to people we have not served well.

“I hope that this report will inspire family doctors and clinical commissioning groups across the country. By combining local innovation with learning from the experiences of others, the NHS can offer better care despite the tough financial climate. This is a challenge we cannot, and must not, ignore.”