Shared Mental Health care between Psychiatry and Primary care has been developed to improve the care of common mental health problems. Following a consultation-liaison intervention, this study evaluated one-year outcome for patients following the intervention to obtain objective data reflecting the “real-world” of shared mental health care.

95 patients from September 2006 to September 2007 (follow-up rate: 66%) were invited one year after the intervention to complete a paper questionnaire and a telephone short questionnaire about their mental health status, their care during the last year and their satisfaction with care.

89% of patients evaluated their current mental health as better then in the previous year. 44.5% were still managed by their GP as the psychiatric care provider (13.8% with a psychologist), 27.8% by a private psychiatrist, 11.1% by public psychiatry and 16.7% had no care anymore. 78.3% of patients evaluated the intervention as helpful for them.

The intervention was helpful for primary care patients with common mental health problems, supporting primary care without GPs’ de-motivation or disqualification. This study conducted among patients confirmed a previous study conducted among GPs.