ISSUE-290-AUG-SEPT-2024-CLUNCH.pdf

CLUNCH MAGAZINE 17
Burwell Surgery Patient
Participation Group (PPG)
Mental Health Support
As part of its work, the PPG seeks to better
understand how the Surgery is helping to
support some of the key health challenges
facing the community. For this edition the
Surgery has answered some questions on
support for mental health.
What is the incidence of di?erent mental
health conditions in Burwell?
Over 10% of the Surgerys patients are
registered with depression and we have a
small number of patients (less than 1%)
registered with dementia, and a similar
number registered as having experienced at
least one episode of psychosis. However,
there are many other conditions such as
ADHD, neurodiversity (Autism) and eating
disorders that have all increased
signiFcantly over the last few years as well as
patients with what are termed personality
disorders.
What pathways and services are there to
support patients presenting with mental
health issues?
All mental health conditions can have very
considerable impacts on those aOected and
their families. We take mental health issues
very seriously as a practice and try to oOer a
similar level of support as if you were
presenting with a physical health condition.
Often both physical and mental health
issues are closely linked, and it is hard to
help one without the other! Our advice is:
1. If you have concerns about your
mental health or someone else, a
good starting point is to discuss it
with someone you trust, perhaps a
friend or family initially, or the class
teacher at school or a work colleague.
You are welcome to discuss it with us if
this seems the best approach available
to you. We are lucky to be living in a
very caring community and there are
many people who really want to help
others who are going through a di.cult
time.
2. If there is an acute mental health
crisis then please call 111 option 2.
This is available 24/7 and is appropriate
if there are active concerns of suicide,
signiFcant self-harm or a sense that
without immediate action there would
be a signiFcant escalation of risk. The
mental health crisis team will take your
details and call back within 4 hours.
They have an on-call psychiatrist,
mental health nurses and a sanctuary
to diOuse an acute mental health
emergency (often a much better place
to be than a busy A&E department).
3. At the Surgery we will help you take
a step back and try to take a holistic
view of the situation. Where relevant,
is there more that can be done to
address triggers for the problem or any
general healthier behaviours that could
help? For example reducing alcohol and
increasing exercise. We refer more
patients to the Newmarket Leisure
Centre for exercise support for mental
rather than physical health. There are
some great resources at How Are You
https://hayeastcambs.co.uk/
4. We have an excellent Social
Prescriber and other support
workers who may be able to help
with some of the social triggers for
example accessing beneFts or using
appropriate resources in the village
such as the Day Centre or craft or
activity groups.
5. We can recommend a range of self-
help resources if appropriate. For
example the local mental health team
have produced a series of self-help
videos https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/self-
help-videos/ for depression and anxiety
and there are also very good national
self-help guides at https://www.nhs.uk/
mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-
and-activities/Fve-steps-to-mental-
wellbeing/
6. In some cases more formal talking
therapy might be appropriate. There
are a number of local services available
for self-referral, including Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy on the NHS for
adults https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/self-
refer-here/ and Centre 33 for young
people up to 25 https://centre33.org.
uk/help/how-to-get-counselling/
7. We may recommend starting
medication in some cases at the
practice and oOer you support from the
practice.
8. Sometimes we will refer you for
specialist advice and support from our
specialist mental health services. This