DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) have announced an expansion of specialized mental health clinics and clinics integrated within primary health care facilities.
In December, Hamad Medical Corporation’s Mental Health Service, in collaboration with the Primary Health Care Corporation, launched 24 additional specialized clinics within the Primary Health Care Corporation’s facilities, to facilitate patients’ access to medical assessment, treatment and care for a range of mental health conditions.
The additional clinics are located in Al Waab Health Center, Al Sadd Health Center, Al Mashaf Health Center, Qatar University Health Center, and Al Wajba Health Center.
“Our partnership with PHCC underscores our shared vision for healthcare delivery and ensures that patients continue to receive the highest quality and seamless mental health care, as we strive to foster innovation and collaboration between primary and specialist healthcare services,” saidIan Tooley, CEO of HMC’s Mental Health Services.
“Integrating specialized mental health services into primary care allows patients to benefit from a comprehensive approach to health,” said Dr Samia Al Abdullah, Senior Consultant Family Medicine and Executive Director of Operations at Primary Health Care Corporation.
She explained that this model enables the simultaneous management of both physical and mental illnesses, which leads to better health outcomes.
She noted that the expansion of the clinics means that more people will receive mental health care within specialized services, and patients can easily access timely assessment and medical intervention, which reduces waiting times and improves the quality of care.
Dr Al Abdullah said: “This expansion is an important step in our mission to provide comprehensive and accessible healthcare services,” noting that by integrating psychiatry into primary healthcare clinics, this contributes to improving access to mental health care services and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve.
She pointed out that the partnership between the Primary Health Care Corporation and the Mental Health Services at Hamad Medical Corporation played a fundamental role in facilitating this expansion and ensuring that patients receive a greater amount of basic services in a comfortable and supportive environment.
For his part, Dr Majid Al-Abdullah, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Hamad Medical Corporation, said: “This expansion provides an opportunity to complete the redevelopment of the Mental Health Services Building on Salwa Road, stressing the importance of this initiative.”
