WONCA Special Interest Group in Psychiatry

WONCA Special Interest Group in Psychiatry & Neurology Annual Report

from:
Dr Gabriel Ivbijaro MB BS MRCGP FWACPsych MMedSci DFFP; Convenor WONCA SIG in Psychiatry & Neurology

The special interest group for psychiatry and neurology recently met from Friday 26th September 2003 to Sunday 28th September 2003 in Milan. Our host in Milan was Dr Filipo Zizzo, who was very hospitable to the group and indeed we all had a wonderful Italian experience. The group re-iterated its commitment to its core aims and objective, which are:

Aims:
- To promote international co-operation and dissemination of expertise
   in the management of psychiatric and neurological disorders
- To develop guidelines and integrated care pathways for these
   disorders
- To encourage a high standard of educational activity in this field
- To provide mutual support for members in the management of mental
   health problems
- To develop educational resources to support these aims

Objectives:
- This special interest group (SIG) will serve as a focus within
   WONCA, to stimulate and promote standards of excellence in the
   primary care management of psychiatric and neurological disorders.
- The standards will be consistent with patient and professional values
   with reference to evidence based health care.
- The SIG will be a resource to WONCA and affiliated colleges and will
   reach out to other organisations who are directly involved with the
   promotion of mental health and management of neurological disorder.
- The SIG will promote and develop research activities in primary care.
- The SIG will hold scientific meetings which may include sessions and
   workshops during Regional and World WONCA conferences where
   original papers are presented and where, through discussion and
   debate broader relevant educational issues can be addressed.
- The SIG will promote and develop patient information about
   neurological and mental health issues.
- The SIG will develop and promote appropriate literature for primary
   care professionals using a variety of resources including the WONCA
   Web concerned with the interface with primary care.

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During the business meeting, the group appointed regional representatives, who are:

Dr Ian Wilson (Australia)
Dr Helen Rosenberg (New Zealand)
Dr Abdul Abyad (Lebanon)
Dr Badar Ali (Pakistan)
Dr Filippo Zizzo (Italy)

We are in the process of identifying other regional reps to better reflect our transglobal nature and aspirations.

The group discussed the trans-cultural depression guidelines and a reference group was agreed. The membership of this group is as follows:

Dr Gabriel Ivbijaro (UK)
Dr Lucja Kolkiewicz (UK)
Dr Filippo Zizzo (Italy)
Dr Eleni Palazidou (UK)
Dr Ian Wilson (Australia)
Dr Jill Benson (Australia)
Dr Abdul Abyad (Lebanon)
Dr Henk Parmentier (UK)
Dr Badar Ali (Pakistan)
Dr Alan Cohen (UK)
Dr Mike Grenville (UK)
Dr Steve Hiew (UK)
Dr Mike Carmi (UK)
Dr Hope Bell Gam (UK)
Dr Helen Rosenberg (NZ)

Trans-cultural Mental Health Handbook
The group noted that the Asian community often uses the unitary concept of body and mind and in general practice GPs need to be aware of the ethnicity effect of health seeking behaviour, linguistic factors and other issues that may lead to mis-diagnosis.

The group agreed to write a trans-cultural handbook for primary care mental health and a reference group was also identified to champion this cause.

Recruitment of New Members
It was agreed that the regional reps. were to liaise with their other colleagues to promote and recruit new members to this great movement

The next business meeting will be in Lebanon in September 2004.