HMC, PHCC highlight integrated community mental health services

The Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) are emphasizing the ongoing expansion of both specialist and community-based mental health services in Qatar as the nation joins the world in commemorating World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2026. World Mental Health Day serves to underscore the significance of ensuring individuals have access to top-tier mental healthcare tailored to their unique requirements.

As Qatar's principal provider of expert mental healthcare, the HMC offers an extensive array of services catering to children, adolescents, adults, and older individuals across various settings such as inpatient, outpatient, community, and virtual care. These services encompass child and adolescent mental health, perinatal mental health, older adult psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, intellectual disability services, adult psychiatry, psychology services, and community mental health care.

The persistent growth of these specialized offerings mirrors a broader transition towards delivering high-quality mental health care within community environments whenever clinically fitting, while preserving access to specialized hospital-based services for patients with more intricate needs.

Engaging the voices of those with direct experience of mental health challenges is crucial in this model. Their insights enable healthcare providers to grasp obstacles to accessing care, pinpoint prospects to enhance services, and guarantee that care pathways cater to the specific needs and circumstances of the patients they serve.

Dr. Majid Alabdulla, chairman of Mental Health at the HMC, remarked, "In recent years, the HMC has persistently broadened and refined the selection of specialized mental health services accessible to the residents of Qatar." "Our emphasis lies in ensuring that patients receive evidence-based, patient-centered care from proficient multidisciplinary teams, irrespective of whether that care is delivered in the community, via outpatient or virtual services, or within one of our specialized inpatient facilities," he stated.

A pivotal aspect of Qatar's evolving mental health care paradigm is the robust collaboration between the HMC and PHCC aimed at integrating mental health services within primary care. This partnership has facilitated the establishment of 28 integrated mental health clinics and services dispersed throughout health centers across the country, facilitating access to community-based mental healthcare for a wide spectrum of patient demographics, including adults, older adults, perinatal patients, and autistic adults.

For patients, this integrated approach enables enhanced continuity between primary and specialized care, providing them with necessary support within familiar healthcare settings while maintaining clear referral routes for those necessitating more intricate or intensive specialized treatment through the HMC.

Dr. Samya al-Abdulla, a senior consultant family physician and assistant managing director (Operations and Clinical Affairs) as well as executive director of operations at the PHCC, highlighted the crucial role of primary care in supporting individuals with mental health concerns. "Primary care centers at the PHCC enable patients to converse with their family physician regarding mental health issues, receive assessments and suitable care, and be referred to integrated or specialized mental health services when necessary," she elaborated.

In tandem with integrated mental health services, PHCC family physicians assume a vital role in identifying, assessing, and managing mental health needs within primary care, providing access to psychology and supplementary supportive services as deemed appropriate. This facilitates patients in receiving care at the most suitable level, with referral to specialized services when required.