Your Family Doctor as a first step for mental health
Many people first seek help for mental health concerns from their family doctor, not a psychiatrist or psychologist. This is often easier and less intimidating, especially when you already know the clinic and staff.
At Kenneth Tan Medical Clinic, we are Family Physicians, not specialist psychiatrists or psychologists. Our role is to be your first point of contact for mental and emotional concerns, to provide initial assessment and treatment where appropriate, and to link you with specialist or community services when needed.
Our clinic is part of the national Mental Health GP Partnership (MHGPP) and works closely with community mental health teams and family service centres. This allows many patients to receive safe, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home, with support from a familiar GP clinic.
How we can help
People come to us with a wide range of emotional and mental health difficulties. These may appear after a clear trigger, or build up slowly over time. Common issues we see include:
- Stress and burnout related to work, caregiving, studies or finances
- Anxiety, excessive worry, panic attacks or physical symptoms linked to stress (e.g. palpitations, breathlessness, stomach discomfort)
- Low mood and depression, including loss of interest, fatigue, poor concentration and feelings of guilt or worthlessness
- Grief and bereavement, including complicated grief after the loss of a loved one
- Trauma-related symptoms, such as intrusive memories, nightmares or avoidance after distressing events
- Sleep problems, including difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Relationship and family stress, which often presents as physical or emotional symptoms rather than a clear “mental health” label
We also help care for people with longer-term mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, usually in partnership with hospital specialists and community teams.
What we do in the clinic
During a mental health consultation, our Family Physicians can:
- Provide a private, non-judgmental space to talk about what you are going through
- Take a careful history of your symptoms, background and current stresses
- Assess for common conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, adjustment problems and insomnia
- Screen for urgent safety issues, such as self-harm risk, and advise on when emergency care is needed
- Offer first-line management, which may include:
- Psychoeducation about your condition and what to expect
- Brief supportive counselling and simple coping strategies
- Advice on sleep, physical activity, routines and substance use
- Starting medications such as antidepressants or short-term anxiolytics when appropriate, with clear explanation of benefits and side effects
- For those who already see a psychiatrist, continue follow-up and medication in the community when conditions are stable, according to agreed care plans
Our aim is not only to label a diagnosis, but to help you understand what is happening and to plan your next steps in a way that feels manageable.
Working with psychologists, psychiatrists and community teams
We recognise that many people benefit from talk therapy and specialised mental health services in addition to GP care. As part of national community mental health programmes, we can refer you to:
- Community Intervention Teams (COMIT) – multidisciplinary teams based in social service agencies that provide counselling, psychotherapy, psychoeducation and case management for individuals with mental health conditions and their caregivers, in collaboration with GPs and other partners.
- Family Service Centres (FSCs) and other social service agencies – for support with family conflict, financial stress, caregiving challenges and practical issues that contribute to emotional distress.
- Private or hospital-based psychologists and counsellors – for structured therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) when needed.
- Psychiatrists – for more complex, severe or treatment-resistant conditions, or when specialised procedures and higher-level care are indicated.
When you are followed up under the Mental Health GP Partnership (MHGPP) or related programmes, we work as part of a wider network that may include hospital specialists, community psychiatric nurses and community mental health teams. This allows many patients with stable depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia to continue care in the community with GP support, while still having a clear pathway back to specialist services if needed.
Long-term management of chronic mental health conditions
For some people, conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are long-term illnesses that require ongoing monitoring, similar to diabetes or high blood pressure.
In these cases, our role as Family Physicians may include:
- Continuing maintenance medication prescribed by your psychiatrist, with regular review of symptoms, side effects and physical health (for example weight, blood pressure, blood tests).
- Watching for early signs of relapse or deterioration and, when necessary, coordinating timely referral back to specialist care.
- Managing the physical health impacts of psychiatric medication (e.g. metabolic changes, cardiovascular risk).
- Supporting caregivers and family members with information, expectation-setting and guidance on when to seek urgent help.
- Coordinating with community services such as COMIT or other community mental health teams for counselling, psychoeducation and practical support.
This integrated approach helps ensure that your mental and physical health are managed together, not in separate silos.
How a GP-based approach is different
Seeing a Family Physician for mental health has several advantages:
- You can raise mental health concerns alongside physical symptoms (e.g. headaches, sleep issues, chest discomfort) in one visit. Often they are connected.
- We know your medical history, medications and family context, which affects which treatments are safe and realistic.
- It may feel less stigmatising to visit a neighbourhood clinic than a hospital or specialist mental health centre.
- We can stay involved over time, even if you are also seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, so you are not left without support between specialist appointments.
We are not a replacement for specialist care when it is needed, but we often serve as the first stop and ongoing anchor, helping you navigate the system and avoid gaps in care.
What to expect at your first mental health consultation
If you come to see us for a mental health concern, you can expect:
A confidential conversation
You describe, in your own words, what has been happening. You do not need to have the “right” words or a ready-made diagnosis.A structured assessment
We may ask about mood, sleep, appetite, energy, thoughts, concentration, anxiety symptoms, past episodes, substance use, medical history and supports at home or work. Where helpful, we may use simple questionnaires to better understand your symptoms.Discussion of options
We explain how we understand your situation, outline possible diagnoses, and discuss options such as self-care strategies, counselling/therapy, medication and referrals.A follow-up plan
We agree on when to review progress, and under what circumstances you or your family should seek earlier help (for example if there is worsening suicidal thinking, severe deterioration, or new risky behaviours).
You are free to bring a trusted family member or friend if you feel this will help, as long as you are comfortable with their presence.
If you are in crisis
Our clinic can support many urgent emotional situations, but we are not an emergency service. If you or someone you care about is at immediate risk of harm, please seek urgent help through emergency services or the nearest emergency department.
If you are safe enough to attend a GP clinic, we are still happy to be your first point of contact and can help coordinate more intensive support if needed.
Take the first step
If you have been struggling with stress, mood, anxiety, sleep, grief or other mental health concerns, you do not have to manage it alone.
You can book an appointment online or call us to speak with our staff.
If you are comfortable, please let our team know that your visit is for a mental health concern, so we can allocate sufficient time and, where possible, match you with a doctor you feel at ease with.