Il servizio di psicologia delle cure primarie nel distretto Padova Sud dell'Azienda Ulss 6 Euganea: i risultati di 4 anni di attività

The contribution illustrates the results achieved, between October 2019 to December 2023, by the Primary Care psychology service of the South Padua District of the Veneto Ulss Euganea. The actions that the Psychologist implements are: counseling, limited to max 3-4 interviews; psychological support/short psychotherapy (max 10 interviews); referral to specialist services, in case of major problems. The article presents the results achieved by the service (funded by the Committee of Mayors and the CA.RI.PA.RO Foundation) that people can access free of charge, mainly upon referral from GPs. Most people undertake brief psychotherapy or are counseling phase. Of the 170 patients referred to other services for specialized care, most were referred to Mental Health Services or Women, Couple and Family Services. The most identified issues related to anxious or depressive aspects, as well as family conflicts, in line with previous research. An analysis of the outcome of referral to specialist services showed a positive outcome in more than 77 percent of referrals considered, with particularly high percentages for Addiction and Mental Health Services. This article is situated within the discussion on community psychology, highlighting the role that the primary care psychologist can play in enhancing Primary Care psychological services and improving the interception of citizens’ care needs, in integration with other professionals and services.