The Pinnacle primary care psychiatrist provides Waikato Pinnacle GPs with support and advice to manage mental health conditions in general practice, and to give assistance with comprehensive patient assessments and management.
This is a referral service only. It is not a claimable service.
This is NOT a clinical guideline.
All Pinnacle practices in the Te Whatu Ora Waikato region can refer to this service.
Dr Andrew Darby comes with much experience, knowledge and connection with Waikato practices having worked in this region for many years. Andrew can visit your practices or do virtual consultations to meet and discuss cases with you and provide education and support around issues that you encounter frequently.
Andrew is at Pinnacle on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays but may also be contacted on Mondays and Wednesdays.
This service is during normal business hours only. It is not an urgent or crisis service.
Secondary care continues to be the referral destination for severe mental illness e.g. severe depression, psychosis and mania. This service will continue to be accessed through the crisis team phone 0800 50 50 50, or the adult community mental health e-referral.
Dr Andrew Darby is available to discuss all psychiatric cases with GPs that they encounter. Whilst he is a general adult psychiatrist with experience in a number of areas, he is happy to support general practitioners to access the right information from the right service.
No exclusions.
You can access the service by sending a BPAC e-referral (the preferred option), or phone Andrew directly (his number is also found on the e-referral) or send Andrew an email with the patient anonymised (only include the NHI number).
When using the BPAC e-referral, please tick the box for "Request for non-urgent advice from primary care psychiatrist".
If you phone for advice, please also send Andrew a brief BPAC referral that includes a copy of your consultation note and summary of the agreed recommendations with Andrew, as he may have additional information to add. Andrew will "close the loop" of communication by sending you a reply via BPAC.
This service is funded by Te Whatu Ora.
Tony Muller, Consultant Psychiatrist
The Te Tumu Waiora integrated mental health and wellbeing service has been up and running in general practices in Taupō and Tūrangi since July 2019. The response from practices and the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
Read morePinnacle has welcomed Dr Tony Muller as the new primary care liaison psychiatrist.
Read moreThis service aims to improve access to after hours care for children under 14.
View detailsIn addition to Pinnacle MHN primary mental health services, here are some other alternatives that may be available.