Dr Paul Turner

A nomination from NHS England’s national clinical director for mental health demonstrates the impact Dr Turner is having on mental health services.

Dr Geraldine Strathdee describes Dr Turner, clinical lead for mental health at NHS Birmingham South Central CCG, as  ‘working tirelessly for many years to develop better mental health and wellbeing services for his patients’. He leaves ‘no stone unturned’, she says, ‘to find out what his patients need, what will benefit the community in which he works and what partnerships can be developed to bring resources’.

The Edgbaston GP developed a Wellbeing Hub, a triage system that co-ordinates psychological wellbeing services in the area. He says it enables patients to obtain timely support and ‘precludes a need for local GPs to have to know every third-sector organisation in their area’.

As primary care representative on the West Midlands mental health commission, he also works hard to raise awareness of the vital role of primary care. Another achievement this year, he says, has been promoting the development of coordinated wellbeing and social prescribing services for patients with neurodevelopmental problems.

He has a busy year ahead. Among his many aims, he says, is ‘to focus the local health economy’s attention on the supreme importance of comprehensive, coordinated, collaborative and holistic approaches and services for people with emotional and mental health difficulties’.

What others say about him ‘His commitment is no flash in the pan; he has been consistently working to bring improvements for well over a decade.’