The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner in the general practice: a realist evaluation multiple case study

Mental health problems are highly prevalent worldwide and the mental health system faces significant gaps in treatment coverage due to stigma, professional shortages and accessibility issues. In the Netherlands, patients first visit their general practitioner (GP) for mental health problems, with an increasing number of people seeking mental health counselling and treatment in general practice. Dutch general practices have been experimenting with deploying psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) to enhance mental healthcare accessibility. How to best deploy this profession in the general practice team and everyday care, is yet unknown.