Exploring the gap in mental health care provision between primary and secondary care

Primary care is often the first point of contact for people presenting with mental health concerns. However, there is a widely recognised gap between mental health care provision between primary and secondary care services. This article explores this gap and the associated challenges, alongside opportunities for service innovation and enhanced collaborative working between teams. Service redesign and diversity of the workforce are important considerations in bridging the gap, but this will require significant financial investment. The use of digital therapies can also support timely access to intervention and can complement in-person service delivery in primary care. Future research is needed to examine the impact of service redesign and innovation on patient outcomes to inform future development in primary care mental health provision.