Active Monitoring

Every week 250,000 people go to their GP with symptoms of common mental health problems but because of pressures on services and resources, GPs have little alternative than to put patients on long waiting lists.

As people wait for support, their mental health can deteriorate. Early intervention can significantly reduce this.

Active Monitoring is a program of five face-to-face sessions. As an early intervention program, it works in partnership with GPs to refer patients directly to an Supported Self Help Practitioner within the GP surgery as soon as they present with symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, anger, depression, low self-esteem, stress, feeling alone and bereavement.

Active Monitoring can provide a cost-effective alternative to existing treatments and medication. It ensures that a dedicated mental health practitioner can promptly guide patients through treatment options and offer solutions to help them maintain their mental health. These sessions can support patients at their own pace and can be undertaken in flexible environments. 

Please speak to your GP if you feel you could benefit from Active Monitoring, this service is currently available for residents across South Warwickshire, Evesham Vale, Broadway, Inkberrow and Bredon.

“The ease with which people are seen, sometimes even on the same day, has been a major benefit.  Patients have found the service helpful in improving their mental health. With people being seen more quickly they have not had to comeback repeatedly to see their GP while waiting for an appointment. It has also given GPs a prompt alternative to a prescription.”

- Dr Keith Jeffery - Clinical Director for mental health for NHS Oldham CCG

Benefits to Patients

  • 8 out of 10 service users reported a reduction in the likelihood of needing further GP use.
  • 100% of service users said the programme had been effective in addressing their problem and helped them find a long-term solution.
  • 7 out of 10 service users demonstrate improved scores on GAD7 & PHQ9, with 0 declining scores recorded to date.
  • 9 out of 10 service users said they had successfully applied programme techniques to everyday situations.
  • 6 out of 10 service users shared programme techniques to support friends and family.
  • 3 out of 10 service users felt they had reduced the need for medication related to their mental health problem.

Benefits to GPs

GPs reported that the service benefited patients by being local, quick to access and face-to-face. As Active Monitoring takes pressure off surgery staff by providing patients with more time than a GP is could offer.  With Mind bringing mental health expertise early on, more patients remain within primary care, reducing the need for more expensive primary or secondary care.  The service also provides added value to the CCG by complementing their IAPT targets and outcomes and costs 80% less than a standard IAPT course.

If you think your GP surgery would benefit from having one of our practitioners on site, please do mention this service to your surgery.

If you wish to invest in active monitoring within your surgery or would like to know more about the service and the benefits, please contact us on enquiries@swwmind.org.uk or fill in our contact form.