Objective: To investigate issues influencing the role of general practitioners in managing child and adolescent mental health problems.
Design: A postal questionnaire survey inviting respondents to rate statements about managing child and adolescent mental health issues.
Setting: Population of urban Scottish general practitioners.
Subjects: General practitioner principals.
Results: Of the 56% who responded, 31.3% reported that child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were easy to access. Only a minority agreed that users' concerns prevented them from referring to CAMHS, and that these were more likely with young people or parents than with children. The number of respondents who considered their knowledge base, experience or training in this area to be adequate was particularly low.
Conclusion: There may be a significant mismatch between what is expected of general practitioners in relation to child and adolescent mental health problems and what general practitioners themselves feel they are equipped to deliver.