SHORE Medical have joined up with Dorset Mind to trial a new type of support for patients when they show signs of mild to moderate mental health problems.
The new free service, called ‘Active Monitoring’, is a six-week programme of support developed and tested by Mind.
It is designed to help 
people at an early stage of their difficulties, and to guide them through a journey of self-support. It is available to patients over 16 registered with Shore Medical.
Marianne Storey, CEO of Dorset Mind said: “We are taking significant steps to broaden the reach of our work across Dorset, to better support the mental health of our community.
To do this, we must work closely with NHS services to find areas where we can support the wider system and provide complementary, economical, and effective mental health support.
We want to ensure, just as our NHS colleagues do, that if someone reaches out to their GP when experiencing mental health problems, that they can get appropriate, timely, professional and effective support.
Recent studies show that around one third of all GP appointments are related to mental health issues and, with support services for mental health problems in Dorset stretched to the limits, people can wait weeks to receive essential help with their difficulties.
Because Active Monitoring is available very soon after people raise their concerns with their doctor, patients are likely to get better much more quickly as there plan to be no waiting times. People are less likely to develop serious difficulties or need more intensive and expensive mental health services later.
Marianne added: “With the restrictions on funding for mental health, however, that is not always possible, and the NHS can’t always see everyone all of the time.
“So, with the help of the Dorset community, Dorset Mind can work together with NHS services and enable them to continue delivering their vital specialist mental and physical health support whilst offering something different but complementary, like Active Monitoring which is an early, gentle, informative and supportive programme with no waiting times and has had excellent outcomes in other parts of the country.
“We want to work together with the NHS to strengthen the local mental health system.”
The Active Monitoring Practitioner is part of the surgery team and meets with patients who are referred by the GP or Nurse. An initial 15-minute meeting helps the patient and the Active Monitoring Practitioner identify how best to work together using a series of workbooks and other resources.
The free programme is best suited to people who are experiencing depression, grief, loss, loneliness, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger and stress.
Shore Medical are funding Dorset Mind to deliver this exciting pilot at their practices. Dorset Mind relies heavily on donated income from local businesses and communities, from individuals and from grants.
