GP launches charity to help mental health patients
Dr Durant said she noticed an increase in the number of her patients with stress and anxiety
- Published
A Leicestershire GP has set up a mental health charity to give patients more time with a doctor.
Dr Annette Durant, 48, launched the Communities Food and Wellbeing Hub after noticing an increase in the number of her patients with stress and anxiety.
The partner at Bridge Street Medical Practice, Loughborough, now hosts weekly wellbeing sessions every Thursday from 09:00 to 14:30 for her patients.
She said the sessions helped patients deal with the root causes of their problems.
Dr Durant has launched a programme where patients can have longer chats to a GP
Charity MIND said two in five appointments in the UK are now related to mental illness.
In response to the rise in patients, Dr Durant has launched a programme where patients can have longer chats to a GP, meet others coping with depression and learn skills to improve their mental wellbeing.
She said she was motivated to launch the charity in 2021 after she was unable to find a community space which incorporated wellbeing events with the expertise of a GP on hand to answer questions.
The doctor said on some days half of her routine surgery appointments relate to mental illness.
"I recognise there are the patients who can get in to see us [at the surgery] but for those who can't, coming out to their community might give them easier access and information and knowledge to manage their problems," she said.
Rachel Forbes Carpenter thanked the charity for turning her life around
Rachel Forbes Carpenter, 50, has been attending the wellbeing sessions at Fearon Hall in the Leicestershire town.
"I've just gone through a recent crisis and the staff here looked after me so well," she said.
"I don't know if I'd still be here if it wasn't for Fearon Hall."
She also praised Dr Durant, adding: "She's got the time to listen to me with my concerns and those worries that you don't actually get to speak to a doctor about," she said.
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