TY - JOUR
KW - Case Management
KW - Conflict (Psychology)
KW - England
KW - Health Services Accessibility
KW - Humans
KW - Mental Disorders/therapy
KW - Patient Satisfaction
KW - Primary Health Care/manpower
KW - Professional Role
KW - Psychology, Clinical
KW - Qualitative Research
KW - State Medicine
KW - Treatment Outcome
AU - P. Bower
AU - S. Jerrim
AU - L. Gask
A1 - 
AB - A number of professionals are involved in mental health in primary care. The NHS Plan proposed the introduction of a new professional, the primary care mental health worker (PCMHW), to improve care in this setting. The present study was conducted to examine pilot PCMHW-type roles currently in existence, to explore staff expectations concerning the new PCMHW role and to consider the issues relating to roles in primary care mental health that are raised by this new worker. The study used a case study design, and involved qualitative interviews with 46 managers and clinicians from primary care and specialist mental health services, including pilot PCMHW-type roles. The key findings were as follows: The pilot PCMHW-type roles were almost exclusively related to client work, whereas respondents had far wider role expectations of the new PCMHWs, relating to perceived gaps in current service provision. This highlights the potential for role conflict. Secondly, there was disagreement and ambiguity among some respondents as to the nature of the new PCMHW's role in client work, and its relationship with the work undertaken by other mental health professionals such as counsellors, psychologists and nurses. Given that multiple professionals are involved in mental health care in primary care, issues relating to roles are likely to be crucial in the effective implementation of the new PCMHWs.
BT - Health & social care in the community
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 4
CY - England
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2004.00503.x
IS - 4
JF - Health & social care in the community
N2 - A number of professionals are involved in mental health in primary care. The NHS Plan proposed the introduction of a new professional, the primary care mental health worker (PCMHW), to improve care in this setting. The present study was conducted to examine pilot PCMHW-type roles currently in existence, to explore staff expectations concerning the new PCMHW role and to consider the issues relating to roles in primary care mental health that are raised by this new worker. The study used a case study design, and involved qualitative interviews with 46 managers and clinicians from primary care and specialist mental health services, including pilot PCMHW-type roles. The key findings were as follows: The pilot PCMHW-type roles were almost exclusively related to client work, whereas respondents had far wider role expectations of the new PCMHWs, relating to perceived gaps in current service provision. This highlights the potential for role conflict. Secondly, there was disagreement and ambiguity among some respondents as to the nature of the new PCMHW's role in client work, and its relationship with the work undertaken by other mental health professionals such as counsellors, psychologists and nurses. Given that multiple professionals are involved in mental health care in primary care, issues relating to roles are likely to be crucial in the effective implementation of the new PCMHWs.
PP - England
PY - 2004
SN - 0966-0410; 0966-0410
SP - 336
EP - 345
EP - 
T1 - Primary care mental health workers: Role expectations, conflict and ambiguity
T2 - Health & social care in the community
TI - Primary care mental health workers: Role expectations, conflict and ambiguity
U1 - Education & Workforce
U2 - 15272889
U3 - 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2004.00503.x
VL - 12
VO - 0966-0410; 0966-0410
Y1 - 2004
ER -