Primary mental health teams
The brief of The Primary Mental Health Teams (PMHTs) is to capacity build Primary Care Providers, by increasing their skills and knowledge base in the identification, assessment and treatment of people of all ages who may be experiencing high prevalence mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.The teams also have a brief to assist Primary Care Professionals in the case of young people who may be experiencing psychological distress or their first episode of psychosis.
PMHTs provide specialist consultation to the GP, where the GP remains the primary provider of the clients care. PMHTs will consult with the client and/the GP and make recommendations to the GP in terms of ongoing management and other service involvement.
PMHTs work across the life span and therefore can be consulted in regard to children, adolescents, adults and older persons. In terms of geographical catchments, it should be noted that PMHTs consider the Primary Care Provider as “the Client”. Therefore, it is the location of a GP/GP Practice within the Adult Mental Health boundary catchments that is considered when making referrals, not the address of the patient.
There are two teams operating across Southern Health catchment areas:
- South East Primary Mental Health Team (SEPMHT)
- Middle South Primary Mental Health Team (PriMeHealth)
