GPs should use practice based commissioning says Mental Health Foundation

Mental health patients should receive the same level of physical health care as others, a report out tomorrow will say.

The Mental Health Foundation study lays out how primary health services can better cater for people with mental health problems.

It will say GPs should use practice-based commissioning, under which they receive virtual budgets with which to purchase services, to improve the range of treatments available to mental health patients.

Foundation chief executive Andrew McCulloch said mental health “was not always considered within the primary care agenda”.