October marked the completion of training programmes for psychologists and social workers in Primary Health Care (PHC), representing a further step towards strengthening psychosocial services and providing more integrated care that responds to patients’ needs.
The training programmes were conducted as part of HAP’s support for the practical implementation of two professional manuals developed with project support and approved by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare: the Manual for Psychologists in Primary Health Care and the Practical Manual for Social Workers in Primary Health Care.
The three-day training for psychologists brought together professionals from socio-health centres and mental health units across 11 Local Units of Health Care (LUHCs). The programme focused on psychological assessment, brief interventions, case management, referral mechanisms, multidisciplinary teamwork, professional ethics, and self-care.
Meanwhile, the training programme for social workers involved professionals from 28 Health Centres across 14 LUHCs. Based on the Practical Manual for Social Workers, the three-day training aimed to strengthen competencies in biopsychosocial assessment, case management, psychosocial interventions, referral, and interprofessional collaboration, with particular attention to vulnerable individuals and families.
A total of 69 members of the psychosocial staff participated in these trainings.
Both programmes combined theoretical learning with practical exercises, group discussions, and case studies, allowing participants to become more familiar with the tools presented in the manuals and their application in everyday practice.
These training programmes represent an important step towards strengthening psychosocial services in PHC and improving the identification and management of patients’ interconnected health, psychological, and social needs through closer collaboration among doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers.