Generalists neglect psychiatry

EDITOR,--The recent report by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists highlighting the psychological care of medical patients emphasises the importance of general doctors being able to detect and assess the presence of common psychiatric disorders.1 2 Most patients with psychiatric illness are not seen by psychiatrists, with only just over a quarter of psychiatrically ill patients actually being diagnosed.3 There must therefore be an increased emphasis on the detection of psychiatric illness …