Background: The rising prevalence of mental health conditions continues to place significant pressure on general practitioners (GPs) and general practice. Despite their critical role in managing mental health conditions, GPs and practice staff face substantial barriers in providing effective mental health care, such as time and financial constraints. A new mental health model of care (Link-me+EMPHN) aimed at engaging and building capacity in GPs and practice staff for the provision of mental health services is being designed and implemented in a Primary Health region in Victoria, Australia.
Objective: This protocol describes formative research that aims to support the implementation of the Link-me+EMPHN Mental Health Model of Care in general practice, focusing on identifying current gaps in GP mental health training, assessing barriers and facilitators to implementation, exploring stakeholder perceptions and experiences, and determining needs and priorities for successful integration into routine practice.
Methods: The formative research involves a multimethod approach comprising (1) a desktop audit of currently available mental health training and guidelines for GPs; (2) up to 20 semistructured interviews with GPs and practice nurses; (3) an online survey exploring current mental health care practice of GPs and practice nurses; (4) two co-design workshops with people with lived experience of mental health care help-seeking in general practice and four expert working group workshops with a multidisciplinary primary-care team; and (5) testing of the model of care in a simulated practice setting with GPs, patients, and Care Navigators. The desktop audit, online survey, and interviews will be mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework to systematically identify gaps in GP knowledge and skills in providing mental health care. Thematic analysis of the interviews will provide context for the gaps found in current mental health care and training so that we can begin to address these. Findings from each of the co-design, expert working group, and simulation sessions will be thematically analyzed and will include key themes, insights, and any practical implications.
Results: The formative research received funding in May 2024, with the formative research components taking place from May 2024 to July 2025. As of June 24, 2025, a total of 5 people participated in co-design, 14 in semistructured interviews, 28 in simulation sessions, 30 completed the online survey, and 4 working groups have been held. The desktop audit yielded 270 results. The findings of the formative research are tentatively planned for publication in 2026.
Conclusions: This formative research will generate a robust understanding of the factors influencing GP and practice engagement in mental health care and will provide practical solutions to improve implementation of the mental health model of care. The findings will contribute to creating a sustainable and scalable model that improves mental health outcomes for patients and supports GPs.
International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/79560.
Keywords: Theoretical Domains Framework; co-design; decision support; formative; general practice; implementation; mental health; model of care; primary care.
©Amy Coe, Jane London, Anne-Marie Martin, Aaron van Ree, Kirsty Lembke, Caroline Johnson, Bridget Bassilios, Catherine Kaylor-Hughes. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 23.01.2026.