Mental health and general practice:Improving linkages using a total quality management approach

Abstract

This paper reports on a project to implement total quality management strategies toimprove the linkages between general practitioners and specialist mental healthservices. The project implemented a process of change and objectively assessed thesuccess of the process. The project involved all mental health staff (n = 100) in theSt George Division of Psychiatry and Mental Health. General practitioners registeredwith the St George Division of General Practice were invited to participate in thechange process. The project showed that the attempts to engage general practitionersin the ongoing care of patients with chronic mental illness is unlikely to be successfuluntil mental health services promote general practitioner linkages as an ongoing servicegoal, relevant at all levels of delivery.