At St Patrick's Mental Health Services (SPMHS), we've developed a dedicated online portal to provide GPs with up-to-date and relevant mental health information. This aims to help GPs in their practice with patients who present with mental health difficulties.
The GP Portal hosts mental health information films, produced specifically for GPs by our team of mental health experts here at SPMHS. The films are approved for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points by the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).
We recently updated the sign-up process for the GP Portal to make it easier for GPs to receive access to the full suite of films.
Click here to register for the portal. Once you have created your account, you will receive a confirmation email. Simply click the link in the email and you will then have instant access to the portal.
Supporting GP practice
Sharing mental health information
Find out more about the mental health information films currently available to view online through our GP Portal below.
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Assessment and management of ADHD in children and adolescents
Dr Sarah Buckley, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in our Dean Clinic Cork, gives an overview of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents.
During this hour-long film, Dr Buckley explores:
- how ADHD is assessed
- understanding executive function
- an overview of the medications used to treat ADHD
- the link between Phenylketonuria and ADHD.
Please note that this module is targeted towards GPs and aims to provide GPs with helpful information on managing ADHD presentations in the surgery, on the link between ADHD and mental health, and on when to refer for specialist care. It is not suitable for non-clinical audiences.
This film is recognised for one CPD point.
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Bipolar Affective Disorder in Primary Care
Sean Lonergan, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist on the Bipolar Affective Disorder programme here in SPMHS, explores how GPs can treat and support their patients living with bipolar affective disorder.
This one-hour module explores:
- how to increase recognition and awareness of how patients may present with symptoms of bipolar affective disorder in primary care
- how to differentiate bipolar affective disorder from unipolar depression
- bipolar affective disorder diagnoses types
- risk factors and stressors for people living with bipolar affective disorder
- supporting patients when they are well, becoming unwell or when a severe mood episode occurs
- when to refer to specialist care.
This film is recognised for one CPD point.
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Compassion-Focused Therapy: An Introduction
Dr Marion Mernagh and Dr Sinéad Ní Chaoláin PHD, Clinical Psychologists here at SPMHS, explore what compassion-focused therapy is and who it is aimed at, as well as discussing its core therapeutic elements.
This film looks at some of the key concepts and principles within compassion-focused therapy, and why compassion is important from a mental health perspective. Dr Mernagh and Dr Ní Chaoláin also discuss the "Three Systems" model of emotion regulation, and how GPs might apply this model to both their own work as practitioners, as well as to the needs of their patients.
GPs are invited to consider how concepts of compassion apply to themselves, and to engage in a compassion-focused therapy practice.
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Overcontrol and its impact on mental health
Dr Rachel Egan, Principal Clinical Psychologist at SPMHS, and Dr Clíona Hallissey, Senior Clinical Psychologist at SPMHS, discuss overcontrol and its associated impacts on mental health.
Overcontrol, sometimes referred to as too much self-control, underlies a range of mental health difficulties. These include certain Axis I mood and eating disorders and Axis II presentations, such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and avoidant personality disorder.
This hour-long webinar focuses on what costly and harmful overcontrol looks like, how it presents, and the three core areas (themes) in which it impacts people’s lives.
This film is recognised for one CPD point.
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Psychological Formulation and Addiction
Dr Violet Johnstone, Senior Counselling Psychologist, and Dr Aideen O’Neill, Clinical Psychologist here at SPMHS, explore how addiction and substance use disorders fit into a psychological formulation.
As well as discussing our Temple Formulation Group psychology programme, this module also explores how the history of addiction has been understood and treated to date, as well as discussing addiction from a psychological perspective, and emerging psychological theories related to addiction.
This film is recognised for one CPD point.
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Psychosis
Dr Seamus O'Ceallaigh, consultant psychiatrist here at SPMHS, explores the topic of psychosis and how GPs can treat and support their patients living with psychosis.
This one-hour module discusses:
- engagement in psychosis
- early intervention and improved outcomes
- assessing and managing risk and comorbid factors
- improving whole health outcomes in psychosis
- pharmacological strategies for psychosis management
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis
- accessing specialist care.
This film is recognised for one CPD point.
