Depression? There is Hope!

Providing a new half-day training programme for GPs

This seminar has been devised by Dr Andrew Morrice with help from Sue Beckers, Adam Lake, Maarit Brooke and Mel Mackintosh, all GPs who have completed the HG diploma training. A generous donation to the HGF by one family has created an opportunity whereby GPs can be offered a grounding in the HG model of depression, including the new understandings about inflammation, along with practical information as to how the HG approach can be applied in a short GP consultation. These events are being offered through the auspices of existing GP training organisations as these are trusted providers of GP education, and events advertised by these organisations will reach colleagues that might not be aware of the HG approach. The funding from the Corbyns and HGF means that these meetings are able to be provided as part of GPs annual subscriptions and are free of pharmaceutical representatives.

The first training event in Bath was attended by 28 GPs and extremely well received, with 90% of attendees rating the course and content “excellent”. One GP wrote “I think this meeting deserves high praise, it was a new way of thinking about depression for me and feels like it has opened up lots of doors”. Another commented “This was an amazing course, almost life changing. The ideas in Humans Givens really resonated with me and my experiences with patients and myself. I have ordered some books, and may even be interested in the diploma in the future.”

A further event will take place in Dorset in March, and approaches are being made to GP education organisations in the South West, London, Lancashire, Scotland and Ireland. The intention is to make this seminar available to as wide a range of GPs around the UK and Eire as possible.