GPs want mental health leads on consortia

The survey also showed that 42% of GPs say they lack knowledge about specialist services needed for people with several mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

It showed 62% of the 500 GPs surveyed want each consortium to have a mental health lead and a further 31% say mental health services are most at risk of cuts.

The charity warned that people with mental health could lose out from the reforms set out in the ‘Liberating the NHS: Equity and Excellence’ White Paper.

Paul Jenkins, chief executive of Rethink, said: ‘It is clear that GPs want and need extra training and assistance, should they become responsible for commissioning mental health services.

‘We urge the government to recognise this, take the opportunity to make a real difference in mental health by raising awareness and improving training, and work with health professionals and the mental health sector to ensure that people with mental illness can receive the quality of services to which they are entitled.’