A GP survey was conducted amongst 152 GPs with at least eight respondents from each Strategic Health Authority in England and representation from Wales and Scotland. The research was conducted by independent market researchers Adelphi in March 2011 via a 15 minute online survey. 20 GPs responding to the survey reported a specialist interest in mental health. 57 GPs were from pathfinder consortia.1
Main findings
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Only 11% of GPs reported that they are "very confident" discussing severity levels and treatment choices with patients.
How confident would you be in discussing different severity levels of depression (e.g. mild, moderate, severe) with your patients and what this means in terms of treatment choices?
- 11% Very confident
- 51% Quite confident
- 33% Somewhat confident
- 3% Not very confident
- 1% Somewhat unconfident
- 1% Quite unconfident
- 0% Very unconfident
Almost half say that it takes over three months to obtain a satisfactory diagnosis of severity level.
On average, how long does it take before you are satisfied that the severity level of your patients’ major depressive disorder has been diagnosed accurately?
- Less than 3 months
- Between 3 and 6 months
- Between 6 months and a year
GPs estimate that 40% of their bipolar patients had originally been diagnosed with an alternative condition.
What percentage, if any, of your patients with bipolar do you feel were initially diagnosed with an alternative condition?
- 0 %
- 1 - 25 %
- 26 - 50 %
- 51 - 75 %
- 76 - 100 %
31% of GPs said that they do not provide patients who have depression with any written information at all.
13% provide patients with a copy of their treatment plan.
After diagnosis do you give patients any of the following information in writing?
- I don't give patients any written information
- Information about diet and well being
- Information about exercise and well being
- Information and counselling and talking therapies
- Information about the range of treatments available, both medical and non medical
- Their treatment plan
- Information about other mental health support services
- Information to help them understand the causes of their depression
- Information to help me make choices about their treatment
Reference:
1. AstraZeneca Date on File SER/040/MAR11
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CZ005406a-CCOM
April 2011