Skills for Health and the National Workforce Skills Development Unit (NWSDU) at Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust are working on creating an overarching matrix of primary care mental health frameworks. Following a literature review of existing mental health frameworks, we have gathered a list of competencies organised in 6 domains or clusters covering different aspects of mental health care in primary care. In order to take into account the variety of the primary care workforce and the differences in competencies needed per job, we have also followed a Tier system from lighter to heavier involvement with patients with potential MH problems:
  1. Tier 1: Staff who have significant non-clinical contact with patients and are not involved in the long-term planning of their care. E.g. dental and optometry administrative staff, receptionists, health care assistants.
  2. Tier 2: Staff who may have non-clinical contact with patients, but who hold responsibility for the planning and delivery of clinical services e.g. Practice Managers, Commissioners.
  3. Tier 3: Staff who have clinical contact with patients, but who are unlikely to be the first contact for mental health problems e.g. Practice nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, health visitors (dentists, optometrists).
  4. Tier 4: Staff who have clinical contact with patients who may present to them with Mental Health difficulties and/or require onward referral and/or treatment e.g. General Practitioners, GP Registrars, Advanced Practitioners, other clinical staff.
Specialist Mental Health clinicians (e.g. psychologists, psychiatrists, etc.) have not been included in the Tier system as they would be following their own professional guidelines and be experts in this field.

We welcome primary care users, staff and mental health workers as well as members of relevant organisations to participate in this survey as their opinion and experience will be of high value to inform guidelines and self-assessment tool to support CPD and workforce planning. Completion will take about 20 minutes and results will be completely anonymous following data protection legislation (Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR). Many thanks!

Question Title

* 1. Domain 1: Person-centred Collaborative Working. Following the tiers described above and drawing from your knowledge and experience, what Person-centred Collaborative Working (domain 1) competencies do you think are relevant per each Tier of staff? Please note any additional competencies at the end of the list, and should you think any of the ones listed do not apply or are irrelevant for primary care staff please tick the N/A box.

  Tier 1  Tier 2  Tier 3  Tier 4  N/A
Communication skills (i.e. use of clear and simple language, non-judgmental, supportive, body language...)
Accepting disclosing environment (i.e. privacy, language, policy, process...)
Cultural awareness
Age inclusive (knowledge of specific issues involving certain age groups e.g. children and adolescents, older adults… and transition services)
Collaboration with other teams and services
Coordination across teams and services
Working with families or carers (co-production)
Shared decision-making (involvement of patient - co-production)
Strategies to facilitate access to services (i.e. rurality, income, cultural background...)
Knowledge of referral and signposting options
Safeguarding and law issues (i.e. Mental Health Act)

Question Title

* 2. Domain 1: Person-centred Collaborative Working. Do you feel that your organisation currently has a training need in any of the following competencies at any particular Tier level? Please tick all the tiers if you believe the training need is found in general in your organisation, thus in all levels.

  Tier 1  Tier 2  Tier 3  Tier 4  N/A
Communication skills
Accepting disclosing environment
Cultural awareness
Age inclusive (knowledge of specific issues involving certain age groups e.g. children and adolescents, older adults…)
Collaboration with other professionals
Coordination across teams
Working with families or carers (co-production)
Shared decision-making (involvement of patient - co-production)
Strategies to facilitate access to services
Knowledge of referral and signposting options
Safeguarding and law issues (i.e. Mental Health Act)

Question Title

* 3. Domain 2: Prevention. Following the tiers described above and drawing from your knowledge and experience, what Prevention (domain 2) competencies do you think are relevant per each Tier of staff? Please note any additional competencies at the end of the list, and you think any of the ones listed should not apply or are irrelevant please tick the N/A box.

  Tier 1  Tier 2  Tier 3  Tier 4  N/A
Knowledge of factors that promote well-being
Knowledge of risk factors
Stigma and social exclusion awareness
Suicide prevention
Drug and alcohol misuse prevention
Other specific MH issues (e.g. veterans, perinatal)

Question Title

* 4. Domain 2: Prevention. Do you feel that your organisation currently has a training need in any of the following competencies at any particular Tier level? Please tick all the tiers if you believe the training need found in general in your organisation, thus in all levels.

  Tier 1  Tier 2  Tier 3  Tier 4  N/A
Knowledge of factors that promote well-being
Knowledge of risk factors
Stigma and social exclusion awareness
Suicide prevention
Drug and alcohol misuse prevention
Other specific MH issues (e.g. veterans, perinatal)
Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. Domain 3: Assessment and Diagnosis. Following the tiers described above and drawing from your knowledge and experience, what Assessment and Diagnosis (domain 3) competencies do you think are relevant per each Tier of staff? Please note any additional competencies at the end of the list, and if you think any of the ones listed should not apply or are irrelevant please tick the N/A box.

  Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 N/A
Assess common MH problems (anxiety and depression)
Assess specific MH problems (e.g. personality, eating, psychotic, etc.)
Other specific MH issues (e.g. veterans, perinatal)

Question Title

* 6. Domain 3: Assessment and Diagnosis. Do you feel that your organisation currently has a training need in any of the following competencies at any particular Tier level? Please tick all the tiers if you believe the training need is found in general in your organisation, thus in all levels.

  Tier 1  Tier 2  Tier 3  Tier 4  N/A
Assess common MH problems (anxiety and depression)
Assess specific MH problems (e.g. personality, eating, psychotic, etc.)
Assess risk
Other specific MH issues (e.g. veterans, perinatal)
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