A psychological treatment service working in GP surgeries in Nottingham offers hope to people other services can’t help and has already saved more money than its staffing costs in its first year, according to research published today by Centre for Mental Health with the NHS Confederation Mental Health Network.

A new approach to complex needs, by Nick O’Shea, reports on the Primary Care Psychological Medicine service in Rushcliffe. The service offers psychological interventions to people who have high levels of unexplained or persistent physical symptoms of illness. Persistent physical symptoms can be painful, life-limiting and distressing. This can mean multiple GP appointments, outpatient visits and emergencies.