Practice nurses are likely to see a range of common mental health disorders in day-to-day practice. While not every nurse will be involved in treatment, it is useful to have brief knowledge of the available treatment options. In this article, the definitions and treatments of each disorder are described, and the responsibilities of health professionals looking after people with common mental health disorders in primary care are explained.

Sheila Hardy - Independent healthcare consultant; post-doctoral researcher, University of Hull; practice nurse educator, Charlie Waller Memorial Trust