The new service will be free to join for the first year and will use the social networking site Yammer.
By joining the Yammer community GP commissioners will have access to the most up to date policy information, be able to share best practice, find out about the latest evidence-based approaches and take advantage of opportunities to learn from current commissioners of mental health services.
Those who join the community will also be offered the chance to meet face to face at regional meetings and explore how to go about service change.
Of the project, Steve Shrubb, Mental Health Network Director, said:
“About one in six people has some form of mental illness and GPs already recognise that mental illness is one of the most common illnesses people come to them with.
“By putting GPs in charge of commissioning budgets there are huge opportunities to get better at intervening early and making sure people get access to the most appropriate care. There is, however, a great deal of unease about how ready GPs are to take over the commissioning of mental health services.
"The Mental Health Network will be undertaking this programme of work with Janssen to help GP commissioners assume their new responsibilities in mental health."
Join the network
If you are a GP with mental health commissioning responsibility and would like to join or find out more about the network, please contact Holly Mitchell at holly.mitchell@nhsconfed.org or 020 7074 3219.
Already joined?
If you are already a member of the GP Mental Health Support project Yammer community, you can log in via:
www.yammer.com/GPmentalhealthsupport