New guidance developed in Sheffield over the last two years will lead to more mental health practitioners working in GP practices in the city, and the scheme is being rolled out across the country.

The new practitioners will share their extensive knowledge and experience to support people who are struggling with their mental health.

Sheffield’s new Primary and Community Mental Health Service (PCMH) is the team behind the new development. Team members will showcase their work to regional and national leaders from around the country at two events this spring.

The PCMH is an integrated primary and community mental health service for people with serious mental illness (SMI), which will allow people to get mental health support and treatment at each of the 15 Primary Care Networks in Sheffield, such as at your local GP practice.

At the events the team will be sharing the experience of developing and delivering the guidance and helping other areas to build on what has gone well and key areas of learning.

The team will also be sharing the great work it has done to implement SMI health checks, including a risk tool which was also developed in Sheffield and will be rolled out nationally.

The team has helped the region move from being an underperforming area compared to the rest of England to the most improved, hitting the national target of 60% of annual health checks taking place for people with SMI for the first time this year.

Melanie Hall, head of the Sheffield PCMH, said: “It will be really great to share the successes we have had in these areas, highlighting the good practice and the learning we have taken since setting up this programme in 2020.

“The team are all excited to showcase their work and to encourage others across the country to take up this good practice.”

Presentations will take place at the Yorkshire and Humber mental health transformation celebration event in York on 19 April and then at the national celebration in London on 23 May.