News & Events

With the launch of the new WaMH in PC website we have also introduced a new way for you to keep up-to-date with our work across the country.

As part of the website redesign we were asked to include an RSS Feed (or "Web Feed") on the site which allows us to send out automatic alerts any time our new News & Events section is updated.

All you have to do is "subscribe" to our RSS Feed using a piece of software called a RSS Reader and you can then automatically keep abreast of all the work we do in Wales.

Some of you will already know how to use RSS and how to sign up to our Feed but for those of you who are new to RSS then the following links will help you understand how it works:

• What is RSS? - A simple explanation of RSS including a video on what it is all about
• All About RSS - A little bit more in-depth information about RSS from a non-technical standpoint

Once you've got your RSS Reader in place all you have to do to subscribe is simply click on any red RSS logo (like the one to the right) on our site to get our RSS address and follow the instructions provided by your Reader software to sign up for our update alerts.

The best way to learn how to use RSS is to simply give it a go as all the software is free of charge and will include help sections and instructions to get you up and running.

Here is the analysis, feedback and supporting documents from the Practice Sharing Day in Cardiff we recently held to support the implementation of services under Part 1 of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010.

Held in Cardiff City Stadium on 12th January 2012, the following links will provide you with everything from the actual programme for the day through to analysis of feedback and supporting documents for the various presentations, sessions and workshops which took place:

• Programme - Practice Sharing Day January 2012
• Analysis of Feedback - Practice Sharing Day January 2012
• Mental Health Policy Overview (Plenary Session) – Dr Sarah Watkins Head of Mental Health and Vulnerable Groups Division, Department for Health, Social Services and Children, Welsh Government
• Glasgow Steps – Overview of the Glasgow Model (Plenary Session) - Dr Jim White Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Team Lead, STEPS Primary Care Mental Health Team. Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS
• Stress Management Course from the very beginning (Workshop) – Peryn Morgan Implementation Lead for Part 1 Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010
• ‘Wading up the Stream’ in the North Wales Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: What have we learned 10 years on? (Workshop) – Irfon Williams Service Manager for CAMHS and Child Disability in North West Wales and Patrick Howells Service Manager for CAMHS and Child Disability in North East Wales
• WaMH in PC Gold Standard Programme (Plenary Session) – Dr Mark Boulter Chair of WaMH in PC
• Community Networks and a GPs Perspective of Part 1 (Plenary Session) – Dr Jane Harrison Assistant Medical Director (Primary Care) and Dr Mark Boulter Chair of WaMH in PC
• LHBs and Local Authorities Working Together (Plenary Session) – Bernardine Rees OBE Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Primary Care, Cwm Taf HB and Sara Nichols Head of Mental Health and Substance Misuse Service Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

If you have any questions about anything contained on this page or trouble downloading any documents please contact our Project Manager Lesley Hills via email at lhills@rcgp.org.uk or on 029 2050 4516.

The results of our GP and Practice Nurse Survey 2011 have revealed how most Health Care Professionals (HCPs) find working with mental health issues challenging under the current health care system in Wales.

The survey found HCPs felt there was a need for improvement in the interface between primary and secondary mental health care - especially in terms outreach and community services and the referrals system to secondary care services.

The majority of HCPs who responded to the survey estimated they spent 10-30% of their working time on mental health issues and most described this work as either "difficult" or "very difficult".

However, despite their problems nearly two-thirds felt able to deal with mental health and consult with their primary care colleagues when appropriate and said were still committed to providing primary mental health care services.

The survey also found out what HCPs thought about the ongoing impact of plans and strategies like the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010 and National Dementia Vision for Wales but for a full breakdown of the survey's findings please use the following links:

• Summary of Findings of the WaMH in PC GP and Practice Nurse Survey 2011
• Survey Summary
• Verbatim from WaMH in PC 2011 Survey
• WaMH in PC 2011 Survey Slides

This was second audit of Welsh GPs and practice nurses in Wales - with the first survey completed in 2009 - and its findings will be used to develop our Gold Standard Programme and inform policy makers and service providers of the views of the primary care workforce.

The survey ran from 1st September to 11th October 2011 - carried out by Lundbeck Limited - with 202 primary care healthcare professionals responding compared to 174 in 2009.