The Uruguayan Society of Family and Community Medicine (Sumefac) responded to recent statements made by the director of Mental Health of the State Health Services Administration (ASSE), Eduardo Katz, regarding the referral of patients to mental health teams. In an interview with Informative Sarandí, Katz mentioned that a significant number of patients referred to psychiatrists by family doctors did not necessarily need mental health care.
Sumefac clarified that family doctors undergo specific training and do not refer all patients with everyday distress to psychiatrists. They also highlighted the challenges in accessing psychiatry within ASSE due to long waiting lists, leading family medicine and other professionals to take on the responsibility of caring for patients in need of psychiatric evaluation.
The statement emphasized that mental health care is not solely the responsibility of doctors, but requires a team of diverse professionals such as psychologists, psychopedagogues, social workers, and nurses. Sumefac expressed concern over the lack of resources in many territories for comprehensive and efficient mental health care.
In conclusion, Sumefac criticized the oversimplification of mental health issues by authorities and stressed the importance of understanding and addressing the complexities of mental health care.