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GPs 'missing critical opportunity' to help people with mental illness avoid financial problems

Former_MSE_Naomi
Posts: 519 Forumite



Healthcare professionals have a "crucial role" in helping people with mental health problems avoid financial difficulties, according to a new report – but many patients aren't being offered this support...
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'GPs 'missing critical opportunity' to help people with mental illness avoid financial problems'

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'GPs 'missing critical opportunity' to help people with mental illness avoid financial problems'

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Comments
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Because GPs aren't busy enough they're now meant to take on responsibility for their patients finances?0
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Bad enough getting a GP's appointment around here for a medical condition. With several practices going into special measures and have been taken over by the local hospital trust.0
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Our GP practice has now reduced the length of a standard appointment to 5 minutes and has notices up about only one condition to be discussed per-appointment. The appointments themselves can be difficult to get although I think we have it better than many.
But a GP is surely not qualified to give financial advice ….0 -
My local surgery have nurses available , some of them senior and trained to help patients through tough times. That would be the route for helping those with mental/financial problems. Maybe call in the banks for additional help.0
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GPs act as 'gatekeepers' to patients who require a mental health assessment so that their patients can access local community mental health teams. They barely have enough time per slot to diagnose a patient, never mind making a referral to mental health services.
A GP, mental health or social care professional can support their patient in financial distress, by completing a Debt & Mental Health Evidence Form, so that creditors are made aware of the psychological or emotional vulnerability of their patient and how their mental health condition might affect the patient's ability to manage their money.I work within the voluntary sector, supporting vulnerable people to rebuild their lives.
I love my job0 -
Healthcare professionals have a "crucial role" in helping people with mental health problems avoid financial difficulties, according to a new report – but many patients aren't being offered this support...
Reminds me that working in banking you are expected to understand customers health issues....
What is wrong with the world when untrained people are expected to be a expert in a field they have no training in. :mad:Life in the slow lane0 -
Not very long ago I accompanied an elderly relative to the GP surgery as we had been asked to make a 'double appointment' for her annual dementia review.
The GP did not so much as carry out even the most superficial physical examination. The GP asked me no questions whatsoever about her current condition, if I felt she was deteriorating or any of the questions that may have reasonably been expected.
Instead he wanted to offer advice about wills and POA's. When I told him this had already been sorted out (with the solicitor and he should have known I have a health POA as her medical records should reflect this) he held out his arm to shake my hand as a gesture of dismissal and off we went. Doubt we were in the surgery for even 5 minutes.0 -
I think Willing2Learn is absolutely correct, in that the GP is unlikely to be the one doing the actual support, but they're the only ones who can signpost you to the people who can help.
I had a social worker for many years and it seemed like the majority of her other clients were often needing help navigating the benefits/PIP system. Thanks to my many years lurking/posting here, I've always been fairly savvy with these things.0 -
Do GPs know where to signpost patients to? I was a GP for 10 years and certainly wouldn't have known where to direct patients to for help. Things may have changed since I left but back then asking about finances was generally not part of a mental health assessment in general practice. As others have pointed out, standard appointments are generally 10 minutes at most so very difficult to cover everything.0
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This country is short of 3000 GPs and about 40,000 nurses.
Maybe we should sort that out before we start increasing the already excessive workload of the ones we have so that they burn out and leave!0
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