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To further strengthen the availability of formal mental health care, the Government
should pilot an “Extended” Integrated Mental Health Programme (IMHP) with
private sector doctors. IMHPs in the public sector serve as a prime example of
multidisciplinary mental health care by linking GPs and FMs with a key worker and
advisory psychiatrist to help persons with CMD in a primary care setting. However,
the IMHP remains a small-scale service and is limited in manpower. The Government
should create an “Extended” IMHP that empowers private sector doctors to provide
primary care-led mental health care with an intention to provide doctors with
multidisciplinary support to provide mental health care. Referencing the IMHP model
and with risk stratification of patients, private sector FMs and GPs should provide
simple pharmacological treatment and care counselling to leverage private sector
capacity, while key workers (that could be a paraprofessional providing low-intensity
interventions) and advisory psychiatrists from the public/private sector provide
stepped care psychological therapies.

Figure D. Envisioned care structure of “Extended” IMHP

Recommendation 1.2
Patient referral source 1:
Step down from HA PSY SOPC (via PPP)

Recommendation 1.2
Competent
private FMs + GPs

“Extended” IMHP
(operated by the Government)

Recommendation 2.1
Stepped care Advisory psychiatrists
psychological services

Recommendation 1.4
Patient referral source 2:
Step up from GPs, DHC, ICCMW

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